


The Hau'oli City Blitz

by lexyloo



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Daddy Issues, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Guzma has daddy issues, Hau is a sweet ray of sunshine, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Platonic cuddles that totally aren't platonic, Slow Burn, Tournaments, Wormholes, also slight Gladion/Hau vibes along the way, mentions of child abuse, they will get down n dirty at some point I SWEAR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:14:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 101,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22380058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lexyloo/pseuds/lexyloo
Summary: Izzy, a former Kanto trainer, has decided to join Hau in one of Alola's most prominent tournaments: the Hau'oli City Blitz, a unique doubles tournament that randomly assigns two trainers as partners for the duration of the event. She enters the tournament only to be paired with the most destructive man Alola has to offer.Destructive, yet oddly charming.And with wormholes, bad guys, and traumatic pasts popping up, there's plenty of drama to be had—after all, what's a good tournament without some drama?
Relationships: Guzma (Pokemon)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 73





	1. First Impression

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, friends! I've had this idea hopping around in my head for about two months now and I've finally outlined the whole plot of this story (which is something new to me; I usually just write drabbles and see where they take me). Now it's just a matter of writing the damn thing. Hope you enjoy :)

Now, Izzy had seen some pretty tough Pokemon in her day. Her own gym challenge back in the Kanto region was certainly nothing to gawk at. But _this_? This was something completely different—she had never seen a bug type Pokemon this big and dangerous that _kids_ were supposed to battle. But nevertheless, Hau was giving it his all against his opponent. 

The Totem Vikavolt cried out, unleashing a scathing Spark attack that sent Hau’s Torracat flying backwards. Although Hau and Torracat had been holding their own for a while, things weren’t looking so good.

“C’mon, Torracat! You can do this! Flare blitz one more time!”

The Torracat growled as flames suddenly engulfed its body. The room became blazing hot, and Torracat began charging at the Vikavolt. The Pokemon leapt through the air, launching itself directly at the bug. Vikavolt tried to get off one more Spark attack, but it was too late. Torracat hit its mark, and Vikavolt fell to the ground.

The dust settled from the match, and the Totem Vikavolt scurried away without a trace. After drowning Torracat in praise, Hau returned his beloved Pokemon to its ball and received his Z crystal from Sophocles.

\---

“I still can’t believe we managed to pull that off!” Hau cheered, holding out his latest Z crystal. It glistened brightly in the sunlight.

“Not gonna lie, I was getting a little worried about you two for a second,” Izzy teased, placing her hand on his shoulder, “these Totem Pokemon are insanely strong. But you and Torracat make a great team.”

Hau, the sixteen year old grandson of Kahuna Hala, was in the midst of his very own Island Challenge. The young trainer was over halfway through it now--he had four more trials and two more Kahunas to face off against before being able to go against Kukui’s new league. He was a bright, bubbly teen, and his personality seemed to bring out the best in his Pokemon.

Isabel, a twenty-two year old trainer who’d kick your ass if you called her anything other than Izzy, hailed from the Kanto region. She was simply tagging along with Hau for the ride. After receiving a Popplio (who was now her trusted partner, Primarina) as a gift from Hala, the Kahuna insisted that she travelled with Hau on his Island challenge in order to get to know Alola a little better—and to help Hala keep an eye on the boy. She didn’t mind; in fact, she enjoyed it. After having been such a competitive trainer back in Kanto, it was nice to sit back and watch somebody else’s journey for a change.

The pair caught the Exeggutor bus back to Malie city and stopped by the local malasada shop to celebrate Hau’s latest victory. As always, Izzy was just as impressed with Hau’s enormous appetite; the boy could put a Munchlax to shame any day of the week.

“Hey, do you remember that tournament I told you about?” Hau asked between mouthfuls of food.

“You’re gonna have to be more specific, there’s a lot of those around here.” Izzy handed Hau a napkin. “And for the love of Arceus, stop talking with your mouth full.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Hau swallowed harshly and took a deep breath in. “You know, the tournament in Hau’oli city!”

“Oh! The Hau’oli City Blitz, right? Isn’t that the one you wanted to compete in?”

“Yeah! It’s one of the biggest tournaments in Alola—it only happens every four years. And I’m finally old enough to compete in it! It starts up next week.”

“Well, that’s exciting. I’m guessing you want to go back to Melemele and sign up for it?”

Hau nodded his head eagerly. “But you know, I was thinking that maybe you should join in and compete, too. It would be fun! And who knows, maybe I’d even get to battle you!”

Izzy paused for a moment. _Huh_. It had been a long time since she had competed in a tournament, and she sure as hell hadn’t considered stepping back into the battling scene anytime soon. But that didn’t mean she was necessarily out of practice. Although she wasn’t particularly into the Alola battle scene, she kept up her and her team’s skills by training whenever she had time. Hell, Izzy was funding most of their travel expenses solely through battling shop clerks and hotel owners.

“I don’t know,” Izzy said, taking another bite of her malasada.

“Come on! Pleeeeeeeeease?” Hau was leaning across the table at this point, giving Izzy his best pouty face.

“Oh, calm down! We’ll see when we get there.”

\---

After lunch, Hau and Izzy decided to start heading back to Melemele island. Hau being his energetic self decided to Mantine surf back to the island, while Izzy opted for a ferry ride. She was excited to have a moment of peace to herself—with Hau around, those were far and few between. She settled into her seat and enjoyed the subtle rocking of the ferry.

To be quite honest, Izzy wasn’t sure how much she’d like Alola at first; she moved from Kanto mainly to get away from life over there and start over. However, she had grown to love her new home. The friendly people, the way Pokemon and humans coexisted perfectly, the uniqueness of the Island challenge, it all was such a breath of fresh air.

“Well, well, well. Look what the Meowth dragged in,” a toneless voice spat. Izzy turned and was met with a piercing stare from a pink haired woman.

Scratch that. Most of Alola was a breath of fresh air. But moments like these? They left her feeling a bit winded.

Plumeria and Izzy didn’t have much history together. They had met accidentally on a few occasions, and every single one of them resulted in Plumeria challenging her to a battle for the sake of Team Skull. And, much to Plumeria’s disgust, Izzy crushed her every single time.

“C’mon, Plumes. Do you have to start fights with me every time you see me? We could be friends, you know.”

“As if,” Plumeria scoffed. She moved to where she was standing directly in front of Izzy, who was still sitting contentedly in her seat. “And besides, I don’t want to waste my time battling you when I’m trying to get ready for the Hau’oli City Blitz.”

“Oh, so you’re battling in it too?”

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of joining.”

“I wasn’t really considering it, but now I might have to just so I can kick your ass one more time.” Izzy threw a wicked smirk at Plumeria, who was obviously getting more annoyed.

“Oh, for fucks sake, get off your high horse. I’d be more concerned about getting paired up with a brat like you.”

Izzy raised an eyebrow. “Paired up with me? What do you mean?”

“You’re telling me you don’t know?” Plumeria asked, a look of disbelief on her face, “That’s, like, the most important thing about the Blitz. It’s a randomized doubles tournament, so everybody’s partner is selected by a lottery system.”

“Huh. Well that could make things pretty rough.”

“It could,” a new, more gruff voice added, “if you have to rely on others for your strength.”

Suddenly, a tall, white-haired man clad in a black jacket and sweatpants made his way beside Plumeria. Izzy looked up at him; the golden chain around his neck glistened with the team skull insignia. She felt a knot forming in her stomach.

“Oh, Guzma. You’re here, too.”

He casually threw his hands into his pockets, smirking at her. “Yeah, it’s me. But don’t be scared; big, bad Guzma isn’t here to fight.” He then leaned over towards Izzy. She could smell a hint of cologne on him. “I’m saving that for the Blitz.” With that, him and Plumeria walked off.

Now, Izzy wouldn’t say she was _scared_ of Guzma—there was only one man that scared her, and it sure as hell wasn’t him—but he was certainly an unsettling guy. He gave off an intimidating vibe, and if looks could kill, she would have been dead ten times over by the way he looked at her. She had only recently met him for the first time at Malie garden with Hau and Kukui. There, he had referred to himself as “destruction in human form” and insisted on taking Kukui on in battle, talking about how he didn’t need “that stupid island challenge” to be strong. When Guzma refused to leave without a battle, Kukui instead threw Izzy in to fight for him. It was a tough match, and her Primarina barely managed to hold off his Golisopod. After his defeat, he berated himself and quickly left the scene. The amount of rage contained in the man’s body astounded her.

Although that was her only encounter with Guzma, his reputation greatly preceded him. Not only was he the infamous leader of Team Skull—a bunch of hooligans who couldn’t seem to keep themselves out of trouble—he had taken over Po Town with his team and ran off everybody who had lived there. He was feared by most people in Alola, and certainly hated by even more.

Nevertheless, Izzy was interested in him. For some reason, she just felt like something was _different_ about him. Yeah, he seemed like the typical evil leader at first glance, but he didn’t seem… all that bad? She had dealt with crooks back in Kanto, and he just didn’t seem like one of them. It was as if Guzma wasn’t inherently a villain, but rather misguided... She couldn’t quite put her tongue on it.

And there was also the fact that she found him pretty attractive. But that was totally beside the point.

After recollecting her thoughts from her latest encounter with Team Skull, Izzy managed to finally get comfortable in her seat again. She closed her eyes, still debating on whether or not to enter the tournament. Now that she knew Plumeria and Guzma were both going to be competing, she found herself more convinced to join in on the fun.

And maybe, by some stroke of absolute luck, she’d get paired with Guzma.

No, no. That was certainly just wishful thinking.

\---

Before long, the ferry arrived at Melemele Island. Feeling refreshed from her brief nap, Izzy collected her items and made her way to the docks. Hau was—of course—already there waiting for her, completely drenched from his voyage over. Izzy suggested that they find him some clothes to change into, but he insisted the Alola heat would dry him off in no time.

Hau’oli was as busy as ever. Vendors were set up along the sides of the road offering all sorts of exotic goods, and ride pokemon were parading about the streets carrying people and cargo. Izzy was swept up by the buzz of the city; she loved it here. And the best part? No matter where you were in the city, the beach was always right around the corner. The salty smell in the air, the sound of waves gently crashing against the shore, even the Wingull that were always overhead. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

“So where exactly are we supposed to register for this tournament?” Izzy asked as the pair made their way through the city.

“I dunno. Guess I just assumed it would be at the stadium.”

Hau assumed correctly. The stadium finally came into view along with dozens of flashy banners reading “HAU’OLI CITY BLITZ REGISTRATION!” The stadium itself was remarkably large and well designed; it was sleek and modern, but still gave off a majestic vibe. It seemed to be more crowded than usual, with dozens of trainers casually hanging around on the steps that led up the entrance of the facility.

Izzy could feel her heart race. Oh how she _missed this_. She hadn’t really realized just how much she missed competitive battling, but now that it was just within reach, Izzy found herself desperate to get back into the action. She cast a look over to Hau; he was practically vibrating with excitement as well.

Well, guess that decided that. She had to compete in the Hau’oli City Blitz.

Izzy made her way into the building with Hau and was completely floored. She had thought there were a ton of trainers outside the building already, but the lobby of the facility was _packed_ with even more of them. The central desk of operations was swarmed with trainers trying to submit paperwork and ask questions, and the poor facility workers looked like they were about to have a melt down.

“Hau! Izzy! Glad you made it!” a booming, unmistakable voice called out from behind them. Sure enough, Hala emerged from the crowd, both of his arms outstretched. Hau practically tackled the man with a hug, and Hala graciously returned it with a hearty laugh.

“Old man! Long time, no see,” Izzy called out as she joined in on the reunion. “Are you planning on competing in the tournament as well?”

“Oh, I can’t. Sadly,” Hala responded as he finally released Hau, “my duties as a Kahuna prevent me from competing. Instead, I’ll be helping to manage the tournament. Will you be participating?”

With this question, Hau quickly turned to Izzy, once again giving her his best pouty face. She laughed. “Yeah, I think I will. Looks like it could be fun.”

“Well, that’s good to hear because I’ve already signed both of you up for the tournament!” Hala responded with another hearty laugh. “Spots were filling up fast, so I figured I’d save you two the trouble.”

Izzy laughed. Of course Hala had already signed them both up. He was unmatched in his “go-get-em” personality (except for maybe Professor Kukui), so if he wanted them in that tournament, he was going to make sure they were in.

“Wow, thanks, Tutu! You’re the best!”

Izzy took another look around the crowd. She saw a few familiar faces; Mallow, Lana, and some of the other trial captains, as well as a few other trainers she and Hau had met along the way. While she was happy to see them again, she couldn’t help but wonder when Guzma and Plumeria were. If they weren’t here yet, then there was no way they’d be able to register in time.

“What, are you looking for somebody?” a voice cooed behind her. She whipped around and was greeted by just the pair she was looking for. 

Guzma towered over her, a wicked grin across his face. His arms were crossed over his chest, a sheet of paper in his hands. Plumeria stood beside him, not bothering to make eye contact with Izzy.

“Guzma,” Hala began, stepping between him and Izzy, “you’re not here to cause us any trouble, are you?”

“Me? _Never_. I’m just here to have a fair chance at the Blitz, ya know. Let loose a bit.” Plumeria scoffed at that.

Hala looked at him suspiciously. “Well, I suppose there’s no harm in that, so long as you’re telling the truth.”

“Would I lie to you, Hala? I might be a thug, but I’m not a liar.”

With that, Guzma and Plumeria took their leave. There was a strange air between Guzma and Hala; there was obviously some history between the two. Izzy was curious. This tournament was already proving to be more interesting than she had expected, and the damn thing hadn’t even started yet.

\---

Hala informed Hau and Izzy that there would be a meeting tomorrow in which partners would be announced for the tournament. But until then, he suggested that the pair get some rest. Hau left the facility with Hala while Izzy caught a ride Pokemon back to her apartment.

Although Izzy was hardly ever in her apartment, she was grateful she had one. It sat perfectly nestled in the southern end of the city right next to the Pokemon center and was adorned with posters and trinkets that reminded her of Kanto. It wasn’t anything super impressive, but she loved her cozy little home.

After making herself a cup of tapu cocoa, Izzy laid out on her couch and tossed a blanket over herself. It was getting a bit late into the evening, and she planned on watching some much needed trash television until sleep overtook her. After taking a moment to find the remote, she turned her television on.

“We interrupt this program for an emergency bulletin to residents of Alola!” The news reporter yelled as he was hit with gusts of wind. He appeared to be live on the scene with people behind him running away in fear. “Reporting live from Poni Island, this is Scott Sterling bringing you another report of a dangerous wormhole! These strange portals seem to be popping up more frequently and are closer to human establishments than ever before!”

Izzy looked on, concerned. She had seen these mysterious wormholes before with Hau, but they were always a great distance away. The cameraman turned away from the reporter and began focusing on the wormhole. The reporter was right; the wormhole was gaping ominously over Seafolk Village, emitting a strange blue light over the area. The rushes of wind coming from the wormhole seemed to be growing in intensity, and the cameraman was having difficulty holding the camera still.

And suddenly, it vanished. The wormhole folded into itself and disappeared. The camera swung back over to the news reporter, who had been knocked to the ground.

“What the hell...?”

“Scott, you’re still live,” a voice whispered sharply from off screen.

“O-o-oh, terribly sorry,” Scott mumbled as he quickly got off the ground, “I was just a bit… ah, caught off guard. Well, folks, it seems as though the wormhole has vanished. Seafolk Village seems to have only suffered mild wind damage, but everyone seems safe! Scott Sterling signing off!”

The television cut back to the inside of a newsroom with two anchors discussing the event that just occurred. Izzy stared at the screen. _What on earth is going on?_ She figured that the wormholes were just some new Alolan thing she’d have to get used to, but obviously that wasn’t the case. She hoped they’d settle down soon—she didn’t want to get caught in one with poor Hau.

Finally, the regularly scheduled programs came on, and Izzy easily forgot about the new report she had just seen. She found herself watching some strange romantic comedy featuring two in-love trainers, a Pancham, and a Pikachu. Although she enjoyed it, she found her eyelids growing heavy about halfway through. She decided to let the sleepiness overtake her and crashed out on the couch, excited for what the next day had in store.

\---

Izzy woke with a jump, hearing a loud series of _thumps_ on her door. Worried she had overslept, she cast a quick look at the clock on her TV stand. It flashes a solemn 7:04am. She most certainly was _not_ running late.

“Ugh… who is it?” She spat out, still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

“It’s me! Hau! Today’s the day!” Even with the door still shut, Izzy could hear the enthusiasm laced in his voice.

She threw herself back on the couch. “Hau, go back to bed! We don’t have to be there until noon!”

“I can’t sleep anymore! I’m too excited! You gotta let me in!”

Groaning, Izzy complied, setting an overly-energetic Hau loose into her apartment. He ran in and threw himself on the couch, talking at 100 miles an hour. Still held captive by her morning grogginess, Izzy struggled to keep up with what he was saying. He mentioned something about wanting to meet his partner, hoping to win, and something about Lillie? She couldn’t be sure—all she knew was that he just kept _talking at seven in the fucking morning_. She loved Hau, but sometimes she wanted to absolutely strangle the boy.

After finally shaking off the morning grogginess, Izzy got dressed and ready for the day. She decided to throw on some jean shorts and her lucky, worn out hoodie that read “ _Gotta Catch ‘em All!_ ” on the back. Feeling generous, she also made Hau and herself a luxurious breakfast, loaded with plenty of pancakes and glazed pecha berries.

\---

After having spent the morning together, Hau and Izzy made their way over to the stadium. Swarms of other trainers were also slowly making their way to the facility. Izzy looked over to Hau, who was bursting at the seams to find out who his partner was going to be.

They made it inside the stadium at 12:00 on the dot. The lobby was filled with an excited buzz as everyone eagerly awaited to hear who they would be competing with. Izzy kept a hand on Hau’s shoulder as they navigated through the crowd to see if they could find a spot closer to the front desk.

A sudden hush fell over the crowd, and Izzy stopped Hau, urging him to be quiet as well. They turned to the front of the room where one of the officials was standing on the desk with a microphone in hand. He was short, bald, and could barely be seen despite the fact that he was standing on the desk. Izzy couldn’t help but chuckle to herself.

“Greetings, competitors! Welcome to the Hau’oli City Blitz!” His voice was high-pitched and nasally. The crowd roared and cheered, and the official waved his hands as if trying to hush everyone again. “Today, you will be meeting your new teammate for the remainder of the tournament! And remember, once your partner is chosen, there is no turning back! You either battle alongside them, or forfeit from the tournament!

“But before we do that, allow me to explain how this tournament is going to work. This year, we will be using a traditional world-cup style bracket! Teams will be placed in one of sixteen different groups; each group will have four teams within it. Each team will battle the other three teams within their groups to earn points in the group stage! A win is worth three points, a tie is worth one point, and losses earn zero points! After the group stages, the winner of each group—that is, the team with the most points in that group—will move on to the elimination rounds!

“The elimination rounds will start with the round of sixteen! If you keep winning, you move on to the quarter finals, then the semi finals, and then the championship match! However, if you lose at any point in the elimination rounds, you are knocked out of the tournament!”

A wave of murmurs echoed throughout the crowd; Izzy could feel her heart start racing. She was itching to get started with things.

“Now, the moment everybody has been waiting for! The roster for everybody’s new teammates is available on the big screen in the stadium! So if you’ll please calmly make your way—” the official was suddenly knocked off the desk by the stampede of trainers who began charging through the hallways towards the battlefield.

Izzy and Hau looked at each other for a brief moment before hurling themselves into the stampede as well. They ran as fast as they could, bumping into countless others. Izzy had no idea where exactly she was running, she just knew she had to keep moving or else be trampled by the crowd. It was certainly the strangest mosh pit she had ever been a part of.

Izzy, Hau, and the crowd that surrounded them began funneling into the long, dark hallway that competitors typically entered the battlefield through. Echoes of stomping feet and people yelling rang off of the walls. Izzy kept running, clutching at the straps of her backpack as she pressed on.

Finally, the group spilled out of the hallway and into the battlefield area. Izzy kept moving to get out of the way of those behind her, but was completely awestruck by just how _huge_ the place was! For how large the stadium looked from the outside, it looked even bigger on the inside! Not to mention the perfectly kept grass and pristine nature of the seating area. It was _beautiful._

Once Izzy finally got to a place where she wouldn’t get trampled, she looked towards the middle of the field. There, a large, holographic image hovered just slightly overhead, listing which teams comprised each group. The group charts ranged from Group A all the way to Group P. While quickly scanning for either her or Hau’s name within any of the charts, she found Hau’s first; he was in Group C, paired with Gladion as team 10. Izzy chuckled—her poor little sunshine boy just got stuck with the emo kid who hated him.

She kept scanning through the lists, and eventually came across her name in Group M. She didn’t recognize any other names on the list, except for one. Her jaw dropped. There was absolutely no way.

Izzy was on Team 52. Guzma was her partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited 4/3/2020


	2. Friendship: Level One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno. Lots of dialogue??? This fic won't let me sleep and I love it.

Guzma reread the list again. And again. And again. However, the results were the same every time. He had gotten paired with that sassy little brat from Kanto.

There was no way. He and Plumeria had gone _out of the fucking way_ to pay off one of the officials to make sure they were partners. And it looked like they had been duped.

“Well, I guess that plan is down the drain,” Plumeria sighed nonchalantly. “And who the fuck is Molayne, anyway?”

Guzma spun around, facing her. “What!? You’re telling me you got paired with _Molayne_ and I’m stuck with this fuckin’ kid?”

“So you do know him.”

“Of course I know him! The guy’s tough as nails!”

“Huh. Lucky me.”

Guzma shook his head; Plumeria and Molayne would be a powerful team, and he got stuck with little-miss-know-it-all Izzy. How the hell was he supposed to compete with her? Yeah, she was decently strong, (she had technically beaten him in a battle once, but Guzma insisted she got a lucky shot in) but he was certain that there were dozens of better trainers than her in the tournament. Plus, she probably hated him. The group stages alone were set up to last two weeks; would she even be able to put up with him the whole time?

He took a quick look around the stadium, wondering if he could possibly find her somewhere in the crowd. Sure enough, he spotted her close by. She was still eagerly looking through the lists. _Huh_ , Guzma thought, _guess she hasn’t figured it out yet_. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. _Ah, nevermind._

Guzma approached her, but she was still completely encompassed by what she had just read. He watched as she blinked a few times, rubbed her eyes, and double checked the listings.

“No way,” she whispered to herself, eyes still wide.

“Trust me, I ain’t happy about it either.”

She spun around. “Oh, Guzma! Looks like we’re partners, huh?” Her face seemed a bit red, and she scratched at the back of her head bashfully.

“Looks like it.”

Suddenly, Izzy’s sidekick came sprinting over. He screeched to a halt, completely out of breath. Guzma rolled his eyes; he silently hoped he wouldn’t also have to hang around Hau constantly now.

“Izzy, you’re… not going… to… believe it!” Hau was still breathing heavily, struggling to get the words out.

“Let me guess, you’re partnered with Gladion?”

“Oh, so you saw!” Hau responded, beaming at Izzy. “I’m excited! He’s really strong, but… I don’t think he likes me. Anyway, who did you get partnered with?”

“She got destruction in human form itself, kid,” Guzma interrupted, creeping up on Hau. “It’s your boy, Guzma. Got a problem with that?”

Hau froze, looking up at the man who now towered over him. Guzma saw his opportunity to scare the boy off once and for all and put on the scariest "big-bad-Guzma" look he could muster--

“Oh, well that’s cool! Just don’t give Izzy a hard time or you’ll have to deal with me, too!”

And his pride was flattened like a pancake. He couldn’t even scare the little sunshine boy before him.

It was going to be a long tournament.

\---

Since their first match was supposed to be the next day, Izzy insisted that her and Guzma went to a nearby park and let their Pokemon get to know each other. Guzma didn’t really have a choice either way; Izzy practically dragged him out of the stadium to the closest park they could find. Plumeria laughed at the sight--he threw an angry middle finger at her on the way out of the stadium.

“So what three pokemon did you enter in the tournament?” Izzy asked as they walked through the streets of Hau’oli. “Mine are Tsareena, Kommo-o, and Primarina.”

“Oh, um… Golisopod, Masquerain, and Scizor.”

Izzy frowned at him. “Really? You entered with _three bug Pokemon_?”

“Fuck you. They’re the toughest Pokemon in this whole tournament!” Guzma spat back, obviously aggravated. This woman barely knew him, and she already had the audacity to be bashing on his team! This tournament was going to be a _fucking trip_.

“Oh, no, I know they’re tough from the last time we battled. But you could have had… I don’t know, a little more variety?”

“Who needs variety when you’ve got sheer power?” He smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes.

The pair eventually came up to a PokePark nestled in between two buildings. It was a decently sized, enclosed space with an open, grassy area for Pokemon to play in. In the corner there was a picnic table which was shaded by a large berry tree. For being in the middle of the city, it was surprisingly calm and quiet.

Izzy threw a smile at Guzma and ran inside. “Alright, friends! Let's say hello!” She eagerly released her team from their pokeballs, and was suddenly surrounded by her Tsareena, Kommo-o, and Primarina.

Guzma paused. Her Tsareena and Primarina looked nice enough--they immediately ran over to Izzy and began chirping at her excitedly. But her Kommo-o, on the other hand… a seething rage seemed to be oozing from him. Guzma shuddered. 

And suddenly, Kommo-o looked Guzma right in the eye. Guzma felt its gaze pierce right through him. The dragon huffed loudly and started rhythmically pounding its fists on the ground; its scales created a noisy, clanging sound. Guzma gulped; there were not many things he feared, but being thrashed to death by a fully evolved dragon? Yeah, that scared the shit out of him.

“Uh, Izzy? Do you want to, you know, _get him?_ ” Guzma called, backing away as far as he could from the dragon.

Izzy--who had somehow remained oblivious to Kommo-o’s actions--suddenly realized the danger Guzma was in and came rushing over.

“Kommo-o! C’mere! I’ve got something for you!” she cooed loudly, pulling something out of her bag. The dragon turned towards her, still pounding its fists. She held out her hands; in them were some bright, shiny pecha berries.

Kommo-o quickly snatched the berries out of her hand and started devouring them. Izzy smiled and turned to Guzma.

“I’m sorry, but _what the actual fuck_?” Guzma hissed, his adrenaline still kicking.

“Sorry, sorry! He tends to get hangry, and I forgot to feed him his snack earlier.” The two looked back at the dragon; he was much more content and sociable now that he had eaten. “He also has a terrible sweet tooth.”

“Great. Just what I wanted to hear,” he sighed. Not only did Guzma have to deal with this kid, but he also had to fend off a Kommo-o with an appetite and bad attitude? He figured his luck couldn’t get much worse.

“Are you going to let your team out?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m on it, kid. But are you sure about this?” Guzma was a bit nervous. Having different Pokemon meet each other for the first time outside of a battle could be a bit chaotic at best--deadly at worst.

“Well, if you have any better plans then I’m all ears,” Izzy spat back sarcastically. Begrudgingly, he let his team loose, and out came a Scizor, a Masquerain, and a freakishly large Golisopod.

There was a moment of silence, and it seemed like there was a standoff between Guzma’s Pokemon and Izzy’s Pokemon. Nobody moved, but there was an obvious tension in the air. Guzma gulped. The last thing he wanted was for his squad to be fighting their own teammates.

“Maybe we shouldn’t--”

“Wait,” Izzy whispered, “give them a chance.”

Suddenly, Guzma’s Masquerain fluttered over to Izzy’s Primarina, who stared intently at the creature as it approached her. Izzy gasped softly--she was obviously just as on edge as Guzma was. Then, the bug landed gracefully on Primarina’s head, buzzing softly. Primarina looked around for a moment, confused, and then--thankfully--started humming happily. It seemed like the two got along just fine.

The tension was broken after that, and all of Izzy and Guzma’s Pokemon began comfortably interacting. Both Izzy and Guzma let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that at the very least, they had a solid group of Pokemon that all liked each other.

The pair sat at the picnic table as their Pokemon played in the park together. Izzy laughed at the ridiculous way Golisopod tried to copy the water balloons that Primarina was making; the poor bug kept spouting water from its mouth, but found no success. Guzma couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

“So, bug boy, tell me a bit about yourself,” Izzy said, shifting her attention to him.

Guzma scoffed, “What is this, a date?”

“Wha--no, no, I just figured we should get to know each other better!” Izzy stuttered back, a blush creeping its way onto her face. “I mean, we’ll probably be battling together for a few weeks, so it’ll be best if we know a bit about each other.”

“I’m just here to battle, kid.”

“And that’s another thing,” Izzy said matter-of-factly, “I’m not a kid. Not even a teenager! I’m twenty-two years old! So for the love of Arceus, stop calling me kid.”

“Okay, fine. But only if you never call me bug boy again.”

“Deal.”

A silence fell between the two again. Guzma’s Masquerain fluttered over and landed happily on his head. He looked up and smiled softly, petting the bug as it buzzed contentedly on his head. Izzy smirked; it looked like Mr. Destruction-in-human-form had a soft spot for his bugs.

“So, Guzma, why do you have so many bug type Pokemon?”

He looked over at her, taken aback. The Masquerain fluttered away. “What do you mean? They’re the best, obviously.”

“But why are they the best?”

“Well, uh… I dunno. Most trainers don’t want to waste their time on them, but they’ve never let me down. Despite the fact that most people overlook them as weak or basic, they’re incredibly strong--especially if you know what you’re doing.” 

“Huh. Interesting.”

“Alright, my turn. You were some up-and-coming trainer out in Kanto, right? What the hell brought you here to Alola of all places? Do you have family out here or something?” Guzma tossed back with a smirk.

Izzy froze for a second, eyes wide and her lip trembling slightly. Guzma felt a pang of guilt; it seemed like he hit a sore spot with her. But just as soon as the moment came, it passed, and Izzy seemed back to her usual bubbly self.

“Yeah, I was pretty good over there. But stuff happened and I wanted to step away from competitive battling for a bit. My mom also retired recently and wanted to move out here, so I figured why not follow her? Start over out here in Alola, you know?”

“What happened that made you want to leave?” Guzma prodded.

Izzy smirked. “Ah, you see, you have to be at least a level five friend in order to unlock my tragic backstory. You’re a solid level one right now.”

Guzma laughed. “Alright, alright. I’ll give you that much. What do you think of it here so far?”

“You know,” Izzy said as she looked around with a grin on her face, “I really, really like it here. It’s so different from Kanto. Over there, Pokemon and people were two very separate entities. But here? It’s like they’re completely intertwined. It’s an interesting relationship. Pokemon and people rely on each other every single day for all sorts of tasks--even wild Pokemon here help people in need, and vice versa! Hell, just the other day I had a wild Rattata fight off an angry Spearow for me. It’s all so… amazing.”

Guzma couldn’t help but laugh at that. (“Hey, don’t laugh! I really mean it!”) He had found Izzy to be annoying in the past, but… she wasn’t quite as bad as he thought she’d be. Yeah, maybe she had kicked his ass before in a match and caused team skull some trouble, but she seemed nice enough.

And she talked to him like he was a person. Not like a criminal, not like a gang leader, but an actual _person_. She wasn’t scared of him--or if she was, she hid it well--and seemed genuinely interested in him as a human being. Sure, the grunts didn’t give him shit, and Plumeria was pretty tight with him. But this? This was something different. It was easy for once, and easy was nice.

“Well, I’m glad you like it here.”

“How about you? How long have you lived in Alola for?” Izzy asked curiously.

“My whole life! Never known anything different,” Guzma responded with a smile. “Although, I don’t leave Ula’ula very often nowadays.”

“What a lazy bum.”

The pair bantered back and forth for a while until it began to get dark out. When they realized how long they had been at the park, Izzy insisted they grabbed some dinner together before they went back home for the evening. Guzma, with his reputation, was hesitant to go out anywhere. Yeah, he was big scary Guzma, but picking a fight the night before their first match didn’t seem like the best idea.

“C’mon! It’ll be my treat,” Izzy begged as they walked through the streets of Hau’oli. “I’ll even let you pick where we go.”

“Look, I can’t. Besides, I have to get back to Ula’ula for the night.”

“Wait, you’re going all the way back over there? Our match is tomorrow at noon!”

“Being a gang leader doesn’t bring in all that much money,” he said sharply, “and all the hotels here cost a fortune.”

Izzy paused for a moment in the middle of the street. Guzma stopped as well, surprised. He looked over at her and saw her face slowly turn to a soft pink.

“Um… well… I….” She continued stammering out words, her face now turning from pink to bright red.

“What?”

“Ihaveanapartmenthereandyoucanstaywithmeifyouwant.”

Guzma blinked. “What the fuck.”

Izzy took a deep breath, her face still red as a tomato. “I have an apartment here… and you can stay with me if you want.”

Guzma blinked again. Now this was… a surprise, to say the least. Notorious gang leader Guzma--the man who had caused most of Alola’s grief as of late, who had overrun Po Town, who is supposed to beat you down and beat and never let up--was being asked by this sweet trainer if he needed a place to stay for the night. He couldn’t remember the last time somebody had made such an offer to him.

Would it be wrong of him to say yes? Would it be rude of him to say no?

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to! I just thought it would help,” she squeaked. 

“No. I mean, yes, but… are you sure?”

Izzy looked up at him and nodded enthusiastically. “You’ll just have to stay on the couch. It’s a single bedroom apartment.”

“Deal.”

\---

Of course, her little apartment was perfect. Small, but adorably decorated with a Kantonian flare. They had picked up some food on the way back and ate dinner in a peaceful silence; the pair was surprisingly tired from the events of the day.

Now, when it came to hospitality, Izzy did _not_ play around. She adorned her couch with pillows and blankets, made Guzma a cup of tapu cocoa, had the shower running for him, and even had a set of _fucking pajamas_ set out for him. Where she had gotten men’s pajamas, he didn’t know, but he wasn’t about to ask questions.

“If you want, I’m doing some laundry tonight, so you can just throw your clothes in with mine,” she offered earnestly. He graciously accepted her offer.

“You really go all out for your guests, huh?” Guzma teased. Izzy blushed.

After bidding each other good night, Izzy went to her bedroom and shut the door. Guzma was left alone in the living room.

Now, this was not at all how he had thought the day was going to go. He had planned to be partners with Plumeria and be back in Po Town right now, scheming their way to victory. Instead, he was in a posh little apartment with a trainer he thought he hated, wearing some random ass set of pajamas which were undeniably comfortable (not that he’d ever admit it). It was strange. It was completely unlike him to rely on someone--to trust someone to this extent. It had been a long time since he had felt like this.

He silently hoped things would stay like this for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are things moving too fast? Absolutely. Do I care? No :)


	3. The First Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends and welcome back to this hell hole of a fanfic :))
> 
> Just a heads up, there's a bit of an actual fight at the end of this chapter, so just be a bit weary if that's something you aren't okay with.
> 
> Also I'll proofread this one day, but if I do it now then I'll never get these chapters posted lmaooooo

He was in her apartment.

_He was in her apartment!_

Izzy laid in bed wide awake. How was she supposed to sleep when _Guzma was in her apartment?_ She wasn’t really worried he’d do anything stupid like steal her stuff or wreck the place (although, to be honest, a small part of her wondered if she was being naive), but she sure as hell had never had a man she hardly knew stay at her apartment before. He also had quite the reputation for being an angry, destructive guy, but nevertheless she asked the _fucking leader of team skull_ to stay the night. Maybe it was completely foolish and idiotic, but something inside of her just told her it was the right thing to do. It was definitely more convenient for them as a team of course, but there was something else in her that just insisted she invited him to stay the night. 

Was it the crush she had on him? Her face burned; there was no denying it. In fact, it had gotten worse over the course of the day. The fact that she briefly saw the soft spot he had for his Pokemon had made her internally _swoon_ for the guy. Not to mention the fact that he was already being more open and casual with her--he was dropping the big-bad-Guzma schtick before he even realized it. Izzy groaned softly to herself. She turned over to her side, desperately trying to focus on anything else than the soft snores she could hear coming from the living room, but shit, even those sounded adorable. 

Izzy couldn’t deny it even if she wanted to. She had it _bad._

Of course, she didn’t plan on trying anything with him. After all, they were partners for the City Blitz! It would be unreasonable to risk their success in the tournament because of some silly little crush. But still, the idea of being more than friends with Guzma--

Wait. Were they even friends yet?

 _Oh, for the love of Arceus! You’re being ridiculous, Izzy!_ She groaned and threw her pillow over her head. _Just go to sleep already!_

She pleaded for sleep to come to her, and eventually it did. She drifted off, her imagination running wild with what she secretly hoped would become of her and Guzma.

\---

Morning came, and Izzy was awoken by the soft chirping of Pikipek outside of her window. The sun sifted through the blinds and softly lit up her room. She looked over at her phone; it was 8:14. After accepting that she wasn’t going to be getting anymore sleep, she threw her hair into a messy bun and exited her room.

She was greeted by a sleepy Guzma, who was still softly snoring on the couch. Although her couch wasn’t small by any means, it still wasn’t long enough for the man. His legs hung off crookedly, and his arms were tangled over his head. The position looked incredibly uncomfortable, but regardless he seemed to still be out like a light. Izzy smiled softly; he looked surprisingly peaceful when he was sleeping.

Deciding to surprise him, she started making breakfast in the kitchen. Izzy was certainly no chef, but she could whip up a mean breakfast on the rare occasion. After getting all of the necessary ingredients out, she got to work.

After mixing some pancake mix and Moomoo milk together, she pureed a handful of oran berries to make a sauce. She threw a skillet on the stove, turned the heat on, and started cranking out some pancakes.

“Whatcha making there?” a sleepy voice mumbled from behind her just as she was flipping a pancake. She jumped and flung the scalding pancake directly behind her, hitting Guzma with it square in the face. He hissed in pain.

“Shit, I’m sorry! You scared the crap out of me!”

“Doesn’t mean you need to try to melt my face with a pancake!”

After getting the mess cleaned up (and grabbing Guzma a cool towel to put on his face), Guzma helped Izzy finish making breakfast--or rather, was put on “milk duty” since Izzy didn’t trust him with the pancakes. Although he argued that he wouldn’t mess up the food, he was secretly relieved; he was notorious with the grunts for burning anything he tried to make.

“Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?” Guzma asked as he placed the two glasses of milk on the ridiculously small kitchen table.

“Go ahead.”

“I noticed you only mentioned your mom yesterday,” he began, taking a seat at the table, “and there’s only pictures of you and her together around here--er, at least I think that’s your mom. You two look a lot alike. But...” Guzma trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

“Oh, you’re wondering about my dad,” Izzy casually replied, not missing a beat. “Yeah, he’s not really around. Not dead or anything, but just not a part of my life, you know? It’s always just been me and my mom.”

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, you’re fine! It’s not a big deal,” she added, flipping a pancake. It landed with a dull _thud_. “Besides, can’t miss what you never had, amiright?”

Guzma cringed internally at that, but nevertheless was grateful that she wasn’t acting awkward about him asking such a personal question.

Once Izzy was finally satisfied with the ridiculous amount of pancakes she made, (“What? I just want us to have a good breakfast before our first match!”) she joined Guzma at the kitchen table. Izzy offered a heaping plate of pancakes to Guzma. He thanked her quietly and dove right in, getting oran berry sauce all over his face.

“Jeez, you have an appetite that could match Hau’s,” Izzy remarked as she took a bite. Guzma didn’t seem to hear her; he was absolutely focused on the meal in front of him and would not be deterred.

\---

Eleven o’clock rolled around, and the pair started making their way over to the stadium. It wasn’t more than a ten minute walk from the apartment, but Izzy insisted that they get there early so they could talk a bit of strategy before the match. Although Guzma would have much rather waited until the last minute, he couldn’t really argue with the woman who had not only offered him a place to stay the night but also cooked him a bomb ass breakfast.

While Guzma was adorned in his typical attire, Izzy was dressed in skinny jeans, a black tank top, and a cut off, brown leather jacket. The cherry on top? The single fingerless glove she had on her right hand. Guzma had teased her about her outfit all morning, which earned him a playful punch to the shoulder. She claimed that it was the same outfit she wore on her gym challenge in Kanto, and she was hoping it still had some luck in it.

When the pair arrived at the stadium, they were met with a massive crowd. There were countless people swarming the stairs leading to the entrance, all eagerly awaiting the first matches of the tournament. With so many people in the way, Izzy highly doubted they’d be able to get inside without being trampled. That is, until a man dressed in a black suit and sunglasses approached them.

“Are you team number 52?” He asked. Izzy nodded. “Then follow me this way.”

He guided the pair away from the stadium and to a small building located next to it. It was certainly lackluster; it appeared to be more of a storage unit than anything else.

“Hey, where do you get off dropping us off out here? Our match is in less than an hour!” Guzma grumbled at the man.

“The crowds are much bigger than expected, so competitors must enter through the underground entrance over here for the time being. I apologize for any inconvenience, Mr. Guzma. ”

“Huh. Mr. Guzma. I could get used to that.”

“Oh, shut it!” Izzy said, rolling her eyes at Guzma. 

She thanked the official and entered the building. Her first assumption had been correct; it was more so a storage unit for the stadium. Old posters and banners from previous events we either haphazardly put on the walls or simply thrown to the ground, and a musty smell filled the air.

“Huh, kinda feels like home,” Guzma commented.

“Are you trying to tell me you live in a dump?”

“Hey! It’s not a dump! Just has some character, that’s all.”

Sure enough, across the room was an open door that led to a long, dimly lit hallway. The pair made their way through, brushing the occasional cobweb out of the way. It was surprisingly quiet with the only sound being their footsteps echoing eerily off the walls.

“So, uh… you nervous?” Izzy asked, trying to break the silence.

“Nervous? Who do you think I am?” Guzma threw back with a smirk. “Don’t care who it is, nobody’s standing in my way.”

“Not even a little bit?”

Guzma squinted over at Izzy. “Why? Are _you_ nervous?”

“To be honest, yeah,” Izzy laughed back. “We’ve never battled together before! Plus there’s a ton of really strong trainers here.”

“Well just leave ‘em to me, kid.”

Izzy smiled at that. “Whatever you say, bug boy.”

The duo finally made it out of the hall and into a lobby area inside of the stadium. It looked similar to the lobby they were in last time, but this one was a bit smaller and had more clerking areas. It was unusually empty, which made sense since most matches weren’t until much later in the day.

“Sorry, are you Isabel and Guzma?” a woman asked from one of the clerking desks. “I can get you two all checked in over here!”

The woman helped them register for the match; they got headshots, declared the Pokemon they’d be using in the match, and signed the necessary paperwork to hold the Hau’oli City stadium guilt-free should anything go wrong.

“So just to double check, you two will be having Tsareena and Scizor battling in this match, correct?” the woman asked. Izzy and Guzma both nodded. “And just to clarify, you may not substitute your Pokemon out at anytime during this battle, or you will be disqualified from the match.” She pointed to a door to their right. “Your match will begin shortly! Please make your way onto the battlefield through the doors to your right!”

A smile suddenly made its way onto Izzy’s face. She was finally going to battle again! Excitedly, she looked over at Guzma, who seemed to be radiating an intense energy.

It was time for the match, and there was no holding back.

\---

Izzy and Guzma made their way down the hallway. They could hear screaming and cheering coming from the other end, and the sound sent chills down Izzy’s spine. The last time she had performed in front of an audience like this was… goodness, she couldn’t remember. Sometime in her Kanto circuit?

The pair entered the field, and the sound of the audience was absolutely deafening. Izzy looked around her; the natural light above them combined with the stadium lights were almost blinding. In every direction, the stadium was filled to the brim with fans, and various holographic screens consisting of pictures and stats of both Guzma and Izzy as well as their Pokemon hung over them. Izzy could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

“On the east side of the stadium,” the announcer’s voice boomed, “we have team number 52! Please welcome the Kantonian trainer herself, Izzy, and team skull leader, Guzma!”

Suddenly, the stadium was filled with boos and jeers. Izzy found herself confused for a brief moment. Did she already have a bad reputation? She looked over at Guzma, who seemed relatively unfazed. _Ah, forgot about that part,_ she thought.

“Sorry, Iz. Guess that’s what ya get for being with me,” Guzma said, his usual scowl across his face.

“Guess I’ll just have to get used to it pretty quick,” Izzy replied with a grin. Guzma, surprisingly, smiled at that.

“And on the west side of the stadium, we have team number 53, consisting of the Hoenn menace, Marcus, and the Melemele native, Natasha!” 

Another pair of trainers appeared on the opposite side from Guzma and Izzy. The crowd began chanting Marcus and Natasha’s names, and they waved adoringly to the audience. Izzy grew a bit nervous; the pair obviously had a good reputation among the Alola battling community.

Guzma and Izzy as well as the other two trainers took their positions at the edge of the designated battle area. The field was marked out on the grass with white paint. The actual battlefield lining was more for show; so long as the Pokemon battling stayed within the width of the arena, they could travel wherever they wanted. Trainers, on the other hand, had to stay within their allocated space on the battlefield, which was roughly a two-by-three meter area.

“Battle fans, are you ready to kick off the Hau’oli City Blitz?” the announcer shouted. The audience burst out into its loudest uproar yet. 

An official from the day before stood at the edge of the battlefield and was handed a microphone by one of his assistants. He held up a checkered flag, and a sudden hush fell over the crowd.

“Trainers! On my command!”

Izzy and Guzma cast one last look at each other and nodded, pokeballs in hand; it was now or never.

“Release your Pokemon!”

Instantly, all four trainers released their Pokemon onto the battlefield, and the crowd went wild. Guzma’s Scizor cried out, while Izzy’s Tsareena cooly waited for the battle to begin. Marcus released a Swampert, which gargled out a tremendous roar, and Natasha sent out a Comfey, which… just seemed happy to be part of the action.

The official lifted the flag even higher. “Battle…” he paused and then suddenly swung the flag down, “BEGIN!”

Izzy and Guzma called out to their Pokemon, and they immediately began charging at the opposing team.

“Tsareena! Power Whip on Swampert!” Izzy yelled. Tsareena suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and stomped on the ground, summoning three incredibly large vines from the ground. The vines flew towards the Swampert at breakneck speeds, almost too quick to see. Marcus desperately cried out for Swampert to dodge the attack, but to no avail; Tsareena was simply too fast for the creature. A large _crack!_ filled the stadium, and Swampert was sent flying into a wall far behind it, getting buried deep within the structure. The crowd cheered, and Izzy pumper her fist in the air victoriously.

Meanwhile, Scizor made a lunge for the Comfey with a bullet punch, but was unable to make any contact. Guzma scowled. Per its trainer’s command, the Comfey launched a Dazzling Gleam at Scizor, and a blinding light was shot toward the bug. The hit successfully landed and exploded on impact, creating a beautiful yet devastating scene within the arena. The crowd gasped, and dust filled the air, clouding visibility. As the dust settled, Scizor stood completely unscathed.

“Scizor, now! Iron Head!”

With a roar, Scizor lunged at the Comfey, its head gleaming with a harsh, powerful light. A resounding boom filled the stadium when Scizor made contact, and the Comfey cried out in pain as it was meteor-smashed into the ground. The audience cried out; Comfey was no longer able to battle.

Suddenly, Swampert emerged from the wall it was buried in, and it was _pissed_. It certainly looked worse for wear, but still seemed hell-bent on winning its match. It let out an ungodly roar and began charging at Tsareena.

“Swampert! Hammer Arm!”

Swampert began winding up for the attack, and its arm became coated in a ballistic energy. The crowd cried out in fear; this was looking to be a devastating attack.

“Tsareena, deflect it with Trop Kick!”

Tsareena ran eagerly at the Swampert. The crowd screamed out; surely this was a suicide mission for Tsareena! Nevertheless, she leapt into the air just as Swampert began to swing at her and spun gracefully with her leg extended. She met Swampert’s arm with a devastating roundhouse kick and sent its fist directly back at him; Tsareena had successfully countered the attack, and Swampert hit itself with its own Hammer Arm. 

However, Swampert seemed unfazed by the hit, and Tsareena was in a dangerous position being so close to the brute.

Marcus took note of Swampert's proximity immediately. “Now, Swampert! Ice beam!”

Izzy froze; Tsareena was too close to the Swampert to dodge the move, and such a close range hit was going to do some major damage. She couldn’t do anything; Tsareena would have to take the hit.

“Bullet Punch!”

Out of nowhere, Scizor tore across the stadium and landed a direct hit to Swampert’s torso with a fully-powered Bullet Punch and sent the creature skidding across the stadium. The Swampert came to a screeching halt with its body crumpled up on itself, completely knocked out. The crowd went absolutely berserk. Izzy looked over at Guzma; he was smiling smugly.

“I told you, kid, just leave ‘em to me.” 

“Thanks, bug boy.”

“There you have it, folks!” the announcer proclaimed. “A resounding victory from Izzy and Guzma! Team 52 wins the match!”

A large holographic image of Guzma and Izzy with their Pokemon was broadcast above the battlefield, along with the word “VICTORY” bolded across the top. Izzy grinned from ear to ear. Her first competitive battle since her time in Kanto was a success, and she was already looking forward to the next one.

After returning their Pokemon to their pokeballs, Marcus and Natasha began making their way to the middle of the battlefield to offer their respects and congrats to their competitors. Izzy quickly began following suit; however, Guzma instead turned around and walked back towards their team’s entrance.

“Guzma, wait! We still need to--”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

With that, he left, and Izzy was left alone. The crowd booed him as he exited the stadium, and Izzy found herself pissed with Guzma for the first time since they had been paired up together.

\---

Izzy stormed back into the hallway where her and Guzma previously entered the arena. Guzma was leaning against the wall, staring blankly ahead.

“Guzma, what the hell was that about?” she stated, stepping directly in front of him with her hands on her hips.

“Wait , what? The fuck are you going on about?” he snapped back at her, getting pulled out of his trance. “Tsareena was about to get clapped by that Ice Beam--”

“No! Not the battle! I mean _after_ the battle! You left without shaking the other team’s hands?”

Guzma rolled his eyes. “Seriously? You’re going to come at me because of _that?_ Fuck off.”

“Guzma, come on! You’re going to get us disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct!” she pleaded with him, running her hands through her hair. “You can be your grumpy self or whatever, but you can’t get us kicked out of the tournament for it!”

“Now look here, you little brat,” Guzma growled, leaning forward to get into Izzy’s face, “ain’t nobody gonna tell me what to do. You got that?”

Izzy refused to back down, but instead brought her face even closer to his (if she wasn’t so mad, she probably would’ve been embarrassed about how close she was; she could feel his breath against her lips). “Well I'm not just some nobody, _bug boy,_ and I’m telling you this now.” She backed up a bit, desperate to get her point across. “You and me? We have a chance of doing something great together! But we can’t do that if we get disqualified--”

“Oh, shut up!” Guzma shouted, obviously getting more aggravated. “Don’t fucking tell me what to do!”

“Guzma, please! You can do whatever else, just don’t get us kicked out!” Izzy desperately pleaded. “I want this so bad, and I know you do too--”

“Oh my fucking god, why are you such a _bitch_?” Guzma spat back at her. Izzy flinched; that one hurt more than expected. “You know, that’s probably why your dad ain’t around, ‘cause he couldn’t deal with your bullshit--”

_SLAP!_

Guzma’s left cheek was burning, and his eyes were wide in shock; he was completely stunned into silence. Izzy, on the other hand, was shaking with anger, tears welling up in her eyes. She had never hit somebody before--not like that. She also had never had her dad thrown at her like that, and that _fucking hurt_.

She angrily pointed a finger towards his face; he was still looking off to the side from being slapped by her.

“Don’t you _ever_ throw my father in my face like that again! He left me before I was born because he was an unaccountable, irresponsible prick like you!”

The pair stood in silence for a moment. Izzy eventually brought her hand back down, but was still glaring at Guzma. She wanted him to say something--anything--but instead he looked away, eyes still wide in shock.

Then, he slowly began turning towards her. However, he now had a fierce, animalistic look in his eyes. There was a burning rage--one that seemed to erupt after being held back for eons--that was radiating from him. Izzy suddenly felt indescribably small, like this man was five stories taller than her and could crush her with a single finger. It wasn’t often Izzy was scared of something, but in that moment she was terrified.

But, oddly enough, she also noticed something else in Guzma’s eyes: fear. It was as if he was an animal that had been cornered, and his only way of surviving was to fight back.

Before she could say anything, Guzma grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her against the wall. She hissed in pain as the back of her head hit directly against one of the metal poles sticking out. He kept her pinned there and got in her face once again.

“Who the _fuck_ do you think you are, Isabel?! Huh?! Where do you get off thinking you can just hit me like that?! NOBODY FUCKING TOUCHES ME!”

He pulled her off the wall and threw her to the ground. She landed with a dull _thud_ and quickly whipped around to look at him, worried that he would try to grab at her again. She begged her mouth to work, to say anything, but couldn’t manage to get the words to come out.

“Don’t you _ever fucking touch me again!_ ” Guzma shouted at her. The words rang off the walls, and Izzy found tears streaming down her face. She didn’t know what to do.

Then, as quickly as it came, the rage surrounding Guzma dissipated. He was still standing over Izzy, but the anger in his eyes was now replaced by a look of absolute terror. Izzy stared at him, confused but no longer fearful.

The pair didn’t move. A haunting silence loomed between them. Izzy slowly placed her fingers gently against the back of her head and felt a slightly damp warmth in her hair. She brought her hand back around and saw a bright, red liquid across her fingers. It wasn’t a lot, but she was bleeding.

“I… I didn’t… I wasn’t…” Guzma sputtered, but was unable to finish his sentence. 

Izzy looked back up at him, but before she was able to speak, he was running down the hallway.

She was left alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again!! Hope you enjoyed :) this story is going to be the death of me :)))
> 
> Also, I promise that this isn't going to be an abusive relationship! We are going to have all sorts of mental health-ish chats in the upcoming chapters and solve the underlying issues that led to such impulsive actions! This isn't going to be cycle or repetitive process by any means, just thought it would help us get to some core issues early one. Plus I love me a good apology scene :)))
> 
> Thx ily


	4. Lost Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love me some daddy issues :))
> 
> heads up, heavy mentions of parental abuse here. Tread carefully if that's not something you're okay with.
> 
> Once again, I apologize for any errors--this chapter was going to eat me alive if I didn't post it soon.

_“Guzma! Come here!” a burly man yelled from the living room. A woman stood next to him, trembling slightly._

_A young boy peaked from around the doorframe to his room. His entire body was shaking; he knew what was coming next._

_“What is wrong with you, Guzma?! Do you think you’re going to live under my roof with that kind of attitude?!” the man yelled as Guzma slowly made his way into the living room._

_“Dad, I’m sorry,” the boy pleaded between sobs, “I-I-I did my best!” He was clinging to his silver trophy; 2nd place._

_“Don’t lie to me! I saw you out there, you quit halfway through the match!”_

_“I didn’t! Cutiefly was trying--”_

_“Are you calling me a liar, Guzma?” The man’s voice went viciously low. The boy began sobbing even harder as he tried to plead with the man._

_Suddenly, the man’s hand flew across the boy’s face. The hit was enough to knock the boy to the ground. He stopped crying, in shock from the stinging, throbbing sensation on the side of his head. The woman gasped, but did not move. The man, on the other hand, grabbed one of his golf clubs from his bag in the corner of the room._

_Guzma wished he were dead._

\---

He was running down the hallway as fast as he could, his body still numb from what had just happened. Guzma could feel himself on the verge of a panic attack--he had never lost control of himself like that before. He couldn’t explain it; the moment he got slapped by Izzy, it was like he was a boy all over again. He could practically see his dad in front of him, yelling at him for being useless, pathetic, and weak. It had all felt so real in that moment, and he wanted nothing more than to _get the hell out of there._

And the way Izzy looked at him after he had thrown her to the ground. Fuck. She looked _terrified_ of Guzma. And he had hurt her; she was bleeding where she’d hit her head.

He slowed to a stop a couple of meters from the entrance back to the lobby and yelled, punching his fist against the wall. It hurt badly, which was fine--anything other than the strange numbness in his body would suffice. Guzma just wanted to feel human again, not like the monster he was with Izzy.

Guzma leaned forward with his hands against the wall for a moment, taking long, deep breaths. He could feel his heart trying to beat its way out of his chest; he needed to calm down. 

An official suddenly approached Guzma from the entrance to the lobby with a slip of paper in her hand. “Sir, this is your first and only warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. If you are found in violation of the code of conduct again, your team will be disqualified from the Blitz.” She handed him the paper, and he took it without looking at her.

“Won’t happen again,” he mumbled, and slipped the paper in his pocket. The official left without another word.

\---

Somehow, Guzma made it outside and was sitting by himself on the stairs leading up to the stadium. He was met with plenty of jeers and snarky comments on the way out, but uncharacteristically ignored them; in fact, he didn’t hear them at all. His mind was still reeling from what happened with Izzy.

He balled up his fists in his hair. Arceus, he had royally fucked up. Sure, he was annoyed when she called him out on his bullshit, but even he knew that the comment he made about her dad didn’t just cross the line, it leapt past the line as far as it could. He grimaced; she had every right to slap him, he probably would have done the same thing (if not worse) if it were the other way around.

And he still couldn’t wrap his head around why he had lost his head so badly after she slapped him. Actually, that was a lie and Guzma couldn’t deny it. Getting hit again reminded him all too much of his history with his own dad, and some kind of survival instinct kicked into him that told him to fight back. It was an instinct that would not be overridden by logic or disapproval; no, it was something that shook Guzma to his very core. It was as if his will to live told him that fighting was his only option.

He smiled sadly, shaking his head. He was starting to like this girl, too. Not only did it turn out that she made a pretty kickass partner, but he was getting used to the way he could be himself around her. He should have known that would never last; nobody actually liked the real him, who was broken and rigid around the edges--who apparently still had some daddy issues to get over. Fucking ridiculous.

“Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Guzma jumped as he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He looked over at the man towering above him; Hala threw him a carefree smile, just as calm as ever.

Of course it had to be fucking Hala. Guzma had a rocky relationship with him at best. The Kahuna desperately tried to “help” Guzma in the past by forcing him to fit into the mold of the island challenge when he was a kid. Guzma, who had already had enough of being told what to do from his dad, ultimately turned away from Hala; he would become strong in his own way.

Or so he thought.

“Ha, yeah. Wish it had only been a fucking ghost.”

Hala tilted his head curiously and sat down beside Guzma. “Did something happen today? Is everything alright?”

“Like you’d even care--”

“Stop right there. I told you when you started your island challenge, and I’ll say it again; I will always be here if you need anything,” Hala shot back instantly.

Hala was, of course, just as genuine as ever. Guzma may have had his issue with the man, but he knew that what he said was true. When Guzma first started the island challenge, the Kahuna had promised he would be there to help him no matter the situation. And although Guzma had never had to rely on Hala for anything in the past, he knew that in this moment he’d at least offer him some sound, judgement free advice.

Begrudgingly, he decided to give Hala a shot. Afterall, who else was going to listen to him now?

“It’s… about Izzy I guess.”

“Oh, Izzy! I saw you two in your match today. You make a good team,” Hala responded with one of his genuine smiles. “Plus, she’s been a great influence on Hau so far. He admires her quite a bit.”

“Ha, yeah. He follows her around like a little Lillipup.”

Hala let out a belly laugh at that remark. “Ha! So you’ve it too, then. Anyway, did something happen between you two?”

Guzma’s head hung as he scratched at the back of his neck. “We got into a bit of a fight.”

“Oh? A fight over what?”

“I... didn’t shake the other team’s hand after the match.”

There was a brief moment of silence before Hala burst out laughing, earning a scowl from Guzma. “Well, sounds like she had a reason to be upset! That kind of attitude can get you kicked out of this tournament, so it seems like she had a good point.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ve just… I’ve never had someone so adamantly tell me what I did was wrong. People are usually so… scared of me that they just let me get away with shit. She didn’t. And I guess that pissed me off more than it should’ve.”

Hala laughed again, giving Guzma a hearty clap on the back. He flinched at that. “Well, there’s a first time for everything! I think you need somebody in your life who isn’t scared of you. You should try to keep her around.”

“What do you mean?” Guzma asked earnestly, looking at the Kahuna.

“Well, it sounds like she’s the kind of friend you need in your life. Sure, you have team skull and Plumeria, but do they really push you to be better? Izzy… Yes, she can certainly be blunt at times, but she’s someone who will push you to be your best. And I don’t just mean the best trainer you can be, but the best _person_ you can be as well.”

“Huh.” Guzma let out a deep breath. Although he hadn’t spent much time with Izzy yet, he could certainly see what the Kahuna meant. 

And maybe--just maybe--Hala was right this one time. Too bad he completely blew it with her.

“Well, I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen.”

“And what makes you say that?” Hala asked incredulously.

Guzma slumped over a bit more. “I said some pretty fucked up shit to her ‘cause she pissed me off.”

Hala looked at him inquisitively. “And what exactly was it that you said?”

“I... don’t really want to repeat it. I regret saying it.”

“Okay, understandable. Did you at least apologize?”

“No, I didn’t really get to. She slapped me for what I said and I… I completely lost it.”

There was another moment of silence. However, this time the smile Hala had on his face was completely wiped away and replaced by a look of deep concern. 

“Guzma. What else happened?”

Guzma pulled at his hair, bending forward to hide his face. “I couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t stop myself, it reminded me of him! I…” His voice trailed off; he couldn’t bear to say the rest.

“Guzma,” Hala asked softly, as if speaking to a fearful child, “did you hit her?”

“No, no, not exactly. But… I pinned her against the wall. Hard.” Guzma said, voice shaking. His hands were trembling as he kept grabbing at his hair. He paused for a moment, trying to regain his composure to no avail. “She… she hit her head. And I shoved her to the ground after that. I yelled at her, but I… I don’t even remember what I said!”

Hala stared at Guzma; he looked like no more than the hurt, terrified child he found long ago. His eyes were wide with fear, and his skin was pale and sweaty. Knowing what he did of Guzma’s past, Hala felt terribly for him. He knew Guzma could be brash and unrelenting at times, but he never truly wanted to hurt anybody. He had created a barrier to protect himself, and it seemed that Izzy had unintentionally broken through that barrier.

“She looked at me like… like I was a monster,” Guzma choked out.

He was completely distraught and unbearably ashamed of what he had done. This girl who--despite his dubious track record and history--was willing to give him a chance would now probably never speak to him again after this. All because he lost his cool when she wouldn’t let him get away with his usual bullshit.

“Hala. I saw red, I couldn’t control myself. I’m no fucking better than him,” Guzma said, voice quivering.

Hala visibly cringed at that. “Guzma, don’t say that. You didn’t want to hurt her, did you?” 

“What? No, never!”

“Then you’re nothing like him. You’ve had a hard past. And sometimes, when things remind you of that past, it can set you off in ways you’d never imagine.” 

In that moment, Guzma was grateful that there was nobody else around; his chest was tightening up and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He had never realized how much tension and aggression he had been holding on to from his past, and he sure as hell didn’t think he’d ever blow up like that. He desperately wanted to take back what he said, what he did, and he prayed that Hala could somehow help him.

“Old man,” Guzma’s voice cracked. “What do I do now?”

“Well, are you sorry for what you did?”

Guzma looked up at him earnestly. “More than anything.”

Hala smiled sadly at that. “Then you need to tell her that, but only when she’s ready to hear it. Tell her everything. And,” Hala added, putting his hands upon Guzma’s shoulders, “you need to make a change to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.”

\---

To help Guzma settle down after what had happened, Hala took him out for malasadas (“Shouldn’t you go look for Izzy? She’s probably still upset,” Guzma asked. “My dear boy, she is much stronger than you think. Plus, she’s the kind of person that prefers time alone to think things over,” Hala responded.). Although it seemed like the crowd in the malasada shop was a bit weary of Guzma's presence, the fact that he was with Hala seemed to settle their concerns.

“Hey, Tutu!” Hau peered around the corner with a stack of malasadas all his own. “Didn’t think I’d see you here!”

Gladion appeared next to Hau, meal in hand and the usual scowl on his face. However, he had changed out of his typical edgelord attire and donned a more casual pair of khakis and tank top. Guzma couldn’t help but smirk; these two were complete opposites to each other and had somehow managed to get paired together. He couldn’t wait to see how that dynamic treated them on the battlefield.

Then, Gladion and Hau seemed to become aware of Guzma’s presence. Hau’s jaw dropped while Gladion suddenly had all the color drain from his face.

“Wait, you’re eating with Guzma?!” Hau practically shouted, still in shock.

“As a Kahuna, I’m obligated to protect and cherish _all_ of Alola and its creatures. Guzma is part of Alola, is he not?” Hala responded with a smile.

Hau paused for a moment contemplating what Hala said before beamed back at his grandfather. “Huh, I never thought of it that way.” He turned to Guzma. “Guess you and me have more in common than I realized!”

“Oh, for the love of… Can we go sit down and eat now?” Gladion muttered, obviously at his wit’s end with Hau already.

“Yeah, I guess we should. We need to go over our battle strategy for tomorrow. See ya later!” Hau responded as the pair began to walk off.

“Wait, Hau!” Guzma called out. Hau spun around, looking confusedly at Guzma. “Would, uh… you know where Izzy is?”

“Oh, that’s right!” Hau said. “Tutu, I meant to tell you, Izzy looked pretty upset after the match, but she wouldn’t tell me anything. The back of her head was bleeding a bit. She said she fell and hit something, but I don’t know if she’s telling the truth. Do you think she’s okay?”

Guzma’s body tensed up. He felt incredibly guilty; not only had he hurt her, but she _lied_ to Hau about what happened. Was she trying to protect him after what he did to her?

“I’m sure she’s fine, Hau. Probably just a bit shaken up by whatever happened,” Hala said, throwing a cautious look Guzma’s way. “Do you know where she went?”

“She said she was heading to the beach.”

With that, Guzma stood up from the table and left the restaurant without another word.

\---

Guzma berated himself. He had been along every coast line in Hau’oli city but still couldn’t manage to find Izzy anywhere. Of course his dumbass heard “beach” and took off running--he didn’t even think to ask _where on the fucking beach._

The sun was starting to set, and Guzma was slowly losing motivation to keep looking. Was there even a point? There was no way she’d forgive him; he’d be lucky if she’d even look him in the eye. And fuck, his feet were starting to hurt from all this walking. Defeated, he sat down in the sand with his head in his hands.

A flock of Wingull flew by, cooing softly in the distance. The waves were gently washing upon the shore, and the hum of the city was just far enough to be calming. The warmth of the sand felt familiar to Guzma; he had forgotten how many times he had run off to the beach as a kid to get away from his troubles. He looked around, wondering if he was alone. For the most part he was, except for whoever was sitting across on the other side--

It was Izzy. She was strewn out across the sand, still in her tournament gear. Guzma felt a panic arise in his chest; his resolve to talk to her quickly dissipated, and he found himself wanting nothing more than to get up and run as fast as he could. She hadn’t noticed him yet--he was certain he could still get away.

_No, Guzma. You’re not running away from this. You’ve already fucked this up enough._ He pinched the bridge of his nose. _Just go fucking talk to her._

He stood up and made his way over to her, fighting the tightness he was feeling in his chest. Izzy finally noticed him and cast him a quick glance. The light from the sunset made her glow, and she seemed surprisingly at peace despite the events of the day.

And she waved at him, a cautious smile on her face.

He felt his heart flutter for half a moment, but quickly brushed the feeling aside.

“Hey,” Guzma mumbled. He sat awkwardly next to her, careful to keep a decent distance between him and her. He knew this was going to be a difficult process, but she didn’t up and run off--he at least had that going for him.

“Hey, Guz,” she responded softly, turning away to look back out at the ocean.

“Uh, how’s your head doing?”

“Could be better.” Guzma flinched at that, noting the patch of gauze that had been poorly taped to the back of her head. “But, I guess it could be worse.”

Guzma opened his mouth for a moment, but quickly closed it before saying anything. _Is… is she still mad at me? Or scared?_ He’d couldn’t read her to save his life.

“Um… Do you want to talk about earlier?” He managed to choke out, now avoiding eye contact with her.

“If you want to, we can. Do _you_ want to talk about it?”

“Uh… yeah… I mean...” Fuck. He definitely wasn’t good at this whole talk-about-your-feelings bullshit.

Izzy laughed softly at his response. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to. Just wasn’t sure if you actually wanted to talk about it or if you were only doing it for my sake.”

Once again, Guzma was taken aback. “What do you mean? Aren’t you angry with me? Or…” He trailed off, not wanting to finish the rest of that sentence.

“Or what? Scared of you now?” Guzma flinched again. “I’m not gonna lie, you pissed me off pretty bad with what you said back there, and you kind of scared the shit out of me when you started throwing me around,” Izzy said nonchalantly. Each word made Guzma feel even smaller and more guilty; he wanted nothing more than to sink into the sand and disappear. “But I can get over all that. It’s in the past, and I don’t think you really meant it. Besides, I’ve dealt with worse before.”

“O-oh,” Guzma stuttered out, flabbergasted. Just what the hell did she mean by that? Curiosity prodded him, but he pushed it aside. “Well, I just really wanted to say that I’m sorry. About everything.”

Izzy had a small smile tugging at her lips. “Huh, you don’t strike me as the kind of person to really apologize for stuff.”

“Well, you’re right about that.”

“Guess that explains why you suck at it then,” she remarked, a smirk slowly making its way onto her face. Guzma felt himself relax a bit.

“C’mon, I’m serious!” He pleaded as he found himself start to smile as well.

A moment passed between them. The sun was now nestled halfway into the horizon, and it was only a matter of time before it was dark out. The waves gently crashed along the shoreline, and Guzma felt… surprisingly at peace. He looked over at Izzy, who was once again staring intently at the sea.

“But really, I am sorry. About everything. About what I said, and… what I did. I was just being an asshole and completely lost my cool. I’m not used to, uh…”

“Not used to people holding you accountable?” Izzy smirked.

“W-well, yeah. Guess that’s one way of putting it. I, uh, really didn’t mean anything I said or did. I was just being childish and let my feelings get the best of me.”

“Yeah, I kinda figured that,” She responded, looking at the sky above her. “But still… that one stung. I’ve never had somebody throw my dad at me like that,” Izzy said, obviously still feeling hurt from what transpired earlier.. “But I forgive you for what you said. I know I’ve said things that I regret before. And…I’ve done things I regret, too.”

“Like slapping me?” Guzma teased, hoping he wasn’t being too blunt.

“Yeah, like that,” She responded, looking a bit dejected. “Regardless of how upset I was, I shouldn’t have done that. And I’m really, truly sorry about that.”

“You’re fine. I deserved that.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Izzy stated matter-of-factly, looking him squarely in the eye. “Nobody deserves that. And I shouldn’t have treated you like that.”

Guzma felt a tightness in his chest that he didn’t realize was there slowly releasing; it wasn’t very often that people apologized to him (in fact, he couldn’t remember the last time somebody had told him sorry), and Izzy was being so genuine about it. Part of him felt surprisingly warm and content, as if this is what it felt like to have somebody…

Somebody really care about you.

 _No, there’s no way,_ Guzma told himself, casting away such a ridiculous idea.

“Uh, Guz? Do you mind if I ask you something though?” Izzy piped up, bringing him back to reality.

“Oh, sure. What’s up?”

“Tell me if I’m going too far, but… why did you react the way you did when I slapped you?” Izzy asked, looking inquisitively at Guzma. “I don’t really blame you for getting so angry--trust me, I would have gotten pissed if you had slapped me, too. But… you got this crazy look in your eyes. It was terrifying, like your survival instincts had suddenly kicked in.”

Guzma froze; he could feel the tightness in his chest returning, but worse than before. Like he couldn’t breathe. He knew he should probably explain everything, but god damn he really didn’t want to. Why was he--big, bad Guzma--so scared to talk about his past? He’d seen some pretty crazy shit over his life ever since being with team skull, but this was where his bravery drew the line? No, he wasn’t going to let some fucking daddy issues keep him from telling her the truth.

Izzy must have noticed his internal struggle because she quickly put her hand on his leg.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“No, no, no. I _need_ to tell you. You deserve to know since I put you through all this bullshit,” He said to her, although it sounded as though he was still trying to convince himself. “Besides, you said it yourself. We’ll be better partners if we know more about each other.”

“Hey, you were actually listening to me when I said that!” Izzy beamed. He felt his cheeks burn a bit.

“Ha, yeah. Well, this is me trying to help you… get to know me better.”

Guzma paused and took a deep breath. Where the hell was he supposed to start? Was he supposed to just blurt it out, or should he try to ease into it as gracefully as possible? He had never really talked to anyone about what had happened before, so he found himself desperately reaching for the right words to explain everything. Thankfully, Izzy sat patiently as she waited for him, and Guzma was beyond grateful for that.

“So, um… as a kid, my dad and I had a rough relationship,” Guzma began. He paused, not sure how to continue, but was reaffirmed by Izzy softly squeezing his leg with her hand. “He was always pushing me to be the best. Trained me, constantly threw me into tournaments, all that shit. But I was never good enough,” He confessed, looking blankly out at the sea.

The sun had set at this point, and the beach was only lit by the distant street lights of Hau’oli city and the stars above them. The sound of the waves rising and falling along the shore was calming and drowned out any noise the city made. They were completely and utterly alone.

Izzy shifted her weight to face him better and stared; he looked so different from his usual demeanor. Guzma, who she thought wasn’t scared a single thing in the world, looked broken and on edge. She was eager to hear the rest of his history but pushed aside her impatience; she could tell this was something Guzma needed to do at his own pace.

“You know, I even made the list of rising stars for a while with how well I did. Was a bit of a hot shot.” A hint of a smirk made its way onto Guzma’s face. “But I could never manage to actually win. Always second place. And that... pissed him off.”

He paused again, but his hands began to grip at his knees. His eyes were wide, and his body was trembling ever so slightly--as if he was ready to bolt to the other side of the island. She didn’t want to believe it, but Izzy had a horrible feeling that she knew what was coming next.

Guzma pressed on, his voice shaking. “One day, he finally got so angry that… he hit me. Beat the shit out of me.”

“Guzma…” Izzy’s voice trailed off--she was at a complete loss of words.

Guzma’s expression softened a bit as his hands slowly released their death grip on his knees. His spirit seemed crushed, as if he was reliving every moment his father had tormented him.

“It… became a common thing. I’d lose, he’d beat me,” Guzma said, his voice no longer shaking. “But one day when I was finally old enough--er, big enough, I fought back. Threw him off of me. Was kicked out of the house with nothing but the clothes on my back. Guess you know the rest from there.”

A deafening silence lingered between the two; Guzma seemed to be slowly recollecting himself while Izzy was still processing what had just been revealed to her. She knew that there was nothing in the world she could say that could take away the years of abuse Guzma withstood, but she wanted nothing more than to help him. 

Then, something clicked, and Izzy felt a wave of guilt crashing over her. It all suddenly made sense.

That slap must have reminded Guzma of his dad.

“Oh my god, Guzma.” Izzy’s hands quickly shot up to her mouth as she tried to stifle her shock. “I-I-I didn’t… I wasn’t…” Tears began streaming down her face.

Guzma’s jaw dropped, completely bewildered. “Are you _crying?”_

“Of course I’m fucking crying, you idiot!” She spat back, trying to wipe away her tears as fast as she could. “Guzma, I’m so sorry you ever had to go through any of that! A-a-and I’m so sorry--”  
Izzy threw herself at Guzma, wrapping her arms around him. Caught off guard, Guzma froze for a moment before slowly placing his arms around her as well. She buried her face in his chest, her breathing jagged from holding back sobs.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Guzma cooed. “I’m supposed to be the one apologizing here.”

“No, it’s not okay. None of it’s okay,” she whimpered, finally getting her breathing under control. She leaned back and looked up at him. Her teary eyes glistened in the starlight, and Guzma couldn’t help but notice how adorable she looked. “I’m so, so sorry I reminded you of him.”

She leaned her head against his chest again, and they sat there together for a moment, intertwined in each other’s arms. Guzma was still reeling from everything that had happened; he still felt tense from talking about his past, but also felt… better? He couldn’t quite put his tongue on it, but it almost seemed as if some kind of weight had suddenly lifted off of him. Not to mention that he had this poor girl in his arms still crying--and, of all things, crying over _him_.

He had never opened up to anyone like that before. Not to Hala, not to any of his crew, not even to Plumes. And he didn’t want to do that ever again. But… he was glad he told Izzy.

“Oh, jeez I’m sorry,” Izzy mumbled as she eventually pulled away. There was an obvious wet spot on Guzma’s shirt where her face had been which Izzy desperately tried to dry off. Guzma softly batted her hand away, insisting it wasn’t a big deal.

The duo eventually got up and began making their way back to the city. They started joking back and forth again and began talking battle strategies for their next match. Guzma hummed contentedly; he knew he generally managed to fuck up every friendship he ever had, but for some reason he had been blessed with this trainer who gave him not only a second chance, but a third chance to redeem himself. He was blessed with a--dare he say it--friend who he believed actually cared about him.

He walked Izzy back to her apartment and bid her farewell, insisting that he’d give her some space for the night. They set up arrangements to meet at the pokemon center in a few days, and she beamed at him as she left.

Yeah, Guzma knew he was generally a fuck up. But in that moment, he swore to himself that he’d do whatever it took to make things work with Izzy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, uh. I'm currently a college student and usually casually write stuff as a stress relief. But this story has taken a hold on my very soul, and now I'm incredibly behind on homework with absolutely no regrets :) RIP


	5. Curious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter. Small plot point, some fluff, and an update on our sunshine boy.

In the days after Guzma departed from Melemele island, Izzy found herself bored beyond belief. The duo had five days until their next match, and now that Izzy and Guzma had sorted things out between each other, her impatience was about to tear her apart from the inside out. She was itching for another battle, yearning for another dose of adrenaline and excitement as she and Guzma took control of the battlefield again.

And it goes without saying that she was almost at her wits end waiting to see Guzma again.

Her relationship with the notorious thug? Interesting, to say the least. Overall, she had felt that things between her and Guzma were going smoothly--that is, until their fight. To be quite honest, she was still shaken up a bit by how aggressive and out of control Guzma acted towards her. Hell, even two nights after Guzma dropped her off at her apartment, she found herself waking up from a nightmare, reliving the moment again. Izzy shook her head; she knew she wasn’t scared of _Guzma,_ but she was certainly still trying to get over what happened between them.

There was, however, a significant silver lining from the event that Izzy was grateful for, and that was the fact that her and Guzma were closer than before. Not only did he genuinely apologize and promise to never do anything like that again (and she truly believed him), but she got to learn more about him and his past. He told her about his horrible childhood and asshat of a father, and suddenly all the pieces came together. Her initial gut instinct about Guzma had proven to be correct; he wasn’t a true hardened criminal, but rather somebody who was trying to make the most of life with the cards he was dealt. He was the product of an abusive childhood and an adolescence spent living on the streets and had somehow still managed to come out of it all in one piece--albeit a piece that seemed a bit worse for wear.

She thought back to that fateful night on the beach. Guzma, who was supposedly this ruthless thug that struck fear into even the hardiest of people, had seemed so on edge when he revealed his past to her. She could still see the fear in his eyes and the way his whole body trembled when he explained everything. Even though years had passed since Guzma had last even seen his parents, he was still obviously haunted by his father’s actions.

And while she knew she’d never do it, Izzy wanted to find Guzma’s piece of shit dad and beat him within an inch of his worthless life. But even more so, she wanted to help Guzma feel normal, _safe_ again. She wanted him to feel valued not as some token prize of strength, but valued as a person in and of himself.

It wasn’t until she heard her apartment door rattle when she realized how deep in thought she had been. Izzy jumped at the sound and nearly dropped her mug of tapu cocoa. It was still early in the morning--the sun was nowhere to be seen. A visitor at this hour? Unheard of.

She cautiously looked out the peephole in her door, but was unable to see anyone outside. Izzy hesitated a moment; common sense told her not to open the door, but curiosity prodded at her. Before she could make a decision, her entire apartment started vibrating softly. The door was rattling louder now alongside the windows, and one of her posters fell off the wall. Was it an earthquake? It couldn’t be, they were unheard of in Alola. Curiosity overrode her apprehensions, and she cautiously opened the door leading outside the apartment.

A gust of wind eagerly greeted her, throwing the door against the wall. An eerie, dim blue light illuminated the outside area over the lawn as a variety of items tumbled by in the merciless winds. About thirty feet above the lawn, a wormhole hovered ominously over the apartment complex. Izzy stared in awe of it; she had only seen a handful of wormholes from a distance since her time in Alola. They were certainly beautiful from afar, but this proximity was… worrisome.

Neighbors began poking their heads out of their apartments as well with most of them fearfully retreating back to the supposed safety of their rooms. Izzy, on the other hand, stepped out from her apartment and approached the wormhole, wanting a closer look. She held a hand out in front of her to block the wind from her eyes, squinting at the strange item ahead of her.

Then, a loud _BOOM_ echoed through the area that seemed to shake the entirety of Alola to its very core. The impact from whatever caused the sound made Izzy stumble. She grasped at the handrails by the stairs, feeling her heart racing in her chest. Just what the hell was going on?

Suddenly, a blood curdling shriek rang out from the strange portal. It sounded harsh and unlike any Pokemon Izzy had ever heard before, and it echoed off the building of Hau’oli City. Izzy froze; was something going to come out of there? Should she get her Pokemon ready to battle? Should she run as far as she could?

And without a trace, the wormhole folded in on itself and vanished. The winds with it died abruptly, and a silence filled the area.

Izzy was floored. What the _actual fuck_ was going on?

She was snapped back to reality when her phone started ringing; the screen read _Bug Boy._ Even more confused, she answered the phone.

“Guzma?” Her voice quivered a bit more than expected.

“Are you okay? I saw the wormhole on the news, that was at your apartment, right?” He sounded genuinely concerned, albeit a bit tired and strained as well.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. I’ve never seen one that close, and it… sounded like there was something...”

“Yeah, I heard it, too. They reported it live. Did anything happen?”

Izzy faltered for a moment; technically nothing really happened, but the whole experience was unsetting. “Besides the wind, the loud boom, and the weird… shriek? Nothing else happened… but what the hell was that noise?”

“I don’t know.”

“It had to have been something!” She was still trying to grapple with what happened. Was there some creature on the other side? Was it trying to get out?

Would it wreak havoc on Alola?

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Even over the phone, Izzy could hear the genuine concern in his voice. It was an unusual tone for him, but it was one that reeled her back in from her panicked state and made her cheeks a bit warm.

“Yeah… sorry. Just a bit shaken up, I guess.” Her voice softened a bit as her heart rate started to come back down. “But what are you doing up, anyway? It’s almost five in the morning”

“O-oh, uh… couldn’t sleep. Was watching TV and saw the report--you were even in the background. Why the hell did you start walking toward the damn thing? Gave me half a fuckin’ heart attack.”

Izzy couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I was curious! I’m still kinda new here. Never really saw one that close before.” And once again, curiosity prodded at her. “Hey… why couldn’t you sleep?”

There was a silence on the other end of the line, followed by a deep sigh. “Mhm. Nightmare. Don’t usually get ‘em, but… Guess you already know.”

A pang of guilt hit Izzy. It made sense; he just recently had to come clean about his dad, and surely that put his troublesome past at the forefront of his mind. “Sorry, Guz.” Another moment of silence passed over the line.

“S’all good.”

“W-well,” Izzy stammered, feeling her face flush softly, “I can’t really sleep anymore either. Do you, uh… want to hang out?” A sound which sounded like a scoff came through, and Izzy felt oddly deflated and even more embarrassed. Of course he didn’t, it was damn near five in the morning. “N-nevermind! It was a stupid idea--”

“Yeah. That’d be cool. I’ll head over soon.”

\---

Although it took him the better part of an hour to get from Ula’ula to her apartment, Guzma eventually arrived on board a particularly rambunctious Ride Charizard; his hair was disheveled and his face had a green tint to it. Izzy couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight. The pair spent most of the morning watching TV together, sitting--of course--on opposite sides of the couch. Not many words were shared between them, but Izzy felt at ease; the silence was surprisingly comfortable.

Of course, Izzy couldn’t help but glance over at Guzma whenever she was feeling particularly courageous. His face was strangely lit by the flashing of scenes on the television screen. Although Guzma usually had a certain dark tone under his eyes, the color seemed deeper and more prominent than before, not to mention the fact that his head would occasionally nod off before he’d try to shake himself awake again. The poor man was beyond sleep deprived.

“You can sleep if you want,” Izzy had mentioned softly at one point.

“Don’t want to.”

The hours ticked on and the sun eventually rose. Izzy had managed to briefly doze off, but was awakened by Guzma’s impressive snores. Despite his best efforts, sleep had eventually overtaken him. He was strewn halfway across the couch with his head close to--but not quite on--Izzy’s thigh and his legs were still hanging off the side. She smiled; his mouth was ajar with just a hint of drool on the side of his chin. Adorable.

That is, until he started twitching. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a soft, discontented moan escaped from his mouth. Concerned, she leaned in closer to him. Guzma’s head twisted to the side, and he whimpered, obviously in the throws of another nightmare. Izzy stared at him for a moment, sorting through her options. She could wake him up, but that would most likely embarrass him. She could let him continue on, but she wasn’t sure she could bear to watch him in such a state. In the end, she decided to go with her final option: try to comfort him.

After briefly leaving him to run to her room, she returned with the softest, warmest blanket she owned and threw it over him. It was too small for him, but it at least managed to cover him from his shoulders to his thighs. She carefully tucked the edges around his sides, moving slowly to avoid waking him. He stirred occasionally, but otherwise remained asleep. However, the poor man was still being tormented in his sleep, eyebrows still deeply furrowed. Using what little space remained on the couch, Izzy sat beside him and gently threaded her fingers in his shockingly white hair; although it was a bit oily, it was surprisingly soft. Guzma seemed to lean into her touch, prodding his head ever so slightly against her hand. Finally, his face seemed content, and his twitching stopped.

She couldn’t deny the infatuation that was bubbling up inside her; she was trying to take in every detail of the man she possibly could while he was sleeping. The way his chest would rise and fall under the blanket with each passing breath, the short curls of hair that fell just past his forehead, the small scars that were dusted across his skin, everything. It all just screamed _Guzma_ in a way she had never truly noticed.

And then, as if feeding into the crush Izzy had on him, he slowly wormed his way closer to her and turned to lay on his side facing towards her, snuggling his head right on top of her thighs. Her jaw dropped, and she lifted her hands in the air, unsure of where to place them. She could feel her face burning--for a moment, she wondered if it would sizzle right off. _Oh, fuck. He’s asleep. He’s on me. Oh, Arceus._ Hesitantly, she placed one hand in his hair again and the other on his arm, praying that it wouldn’t wake him.

 _Fuck, what am I supposed to do if he wakes up?_ She knew she’d be embarrassed as hell, but she had no idea how he’d react. Would he be upset? Pissed off? Embarrassed? A whirlwind of scenarios ran through her mind.

Taking a deep breath, she settled herself down. _Whatever happens happens, I guess._ Instead, she decided to bask in the moment, enjoying having Guzma, who she’d grown to truly care for, so close to her and at peace. She closed her eyes and dozed off once more, this time with her cheeks rosy and a lightness in her chest.

\---

“IZZY! TODAY’S THE DAY! OPEN THE DOOR!”

Izzy and Guzma lurched awake, both scared half to death by the incessant banging on her door. Izzy had nearly forgotten--today was Hau and Gladion’s first battle in the tournament. She looked nervously over at Guzma. Although he face was a bit flushed with embarrassment about his close proximity to Izzy, he seemed more irritated about his unpleasant awakening thanks to Hau. Izzy sighed in relief and silently thanked Hau for helping her to avoid an awkward situation with Guzma.

Izzy quickly made her way to the door, mouthing a quick _sorry_ to Guzma as she opened it. Hau zoomed right by her, his mouth moving at no less than a thousand words a minute. Guzma was obviously growing more agitated, but chose to brood in silence on the couch while Hau buzzed around him, not even realizing Guzma was there.

“Hau, settle down! It’s hardly eight in the morning! Your battle isn’t for another four hours!”

“I know! It’s only _four hours away!”_

Izzy couldn’t help but laugh at that. Her little sunshine boy was always so excited for whatever challenges laid ahead of him. And the damn kid was such an early bird. However, she noticed his partner was nowhere to be seen.

“Wait, Hau. Where’s Gladion?”

He seemed to stop in his tracks for a moment, looking a bit dejected. He poked his fingers together bashfully. “Uh… he said he’d drop out of the tournament if I woke him up before ten.”

“Well, guess I can’t blame him,” Izzy teased, giving Hau a pat on the back. He perked up and beamed at her.

“Huh, sounds like it could be fun,” Guzma grumbled from the couch. Hau squeaked, surprised to see the gang leader on Izzy’s couch.

“O-oh! Mr. Guzma!” Of course, Hau beamed back at Guzma. “Are you going to come see our battle, too?”

“Sure, why not.”

Izzy and Guzma spent the rest of their morning listening to Hau spill most of his team’s strategy for his upcoming bout. Unexpectedly, Hau and Guzma hit things off pretty well. Guzma was always willing to give Hau pointers on how to fine-tune his strategies, and Hau was eager to get a second opinion for the day. Izzy couldn’t help but feel giddy watching them interact, it was nice to see her new partner getting along so well with her little sunshine boy.

Eventually, it came time for Hau to prepare for battle while Izzy and Guzma left for the stadium. Although she couldn’t stop thinking about it, she refrained from mentioning what had happened earlier while Guzma was sleeping. She was dying to know if she had actually managed to help with the nightmares--or, even more so, if he had been aware of how he leaned into her as he slept, as if he were starved of a caring touch--but could feel a heat in her face just thinking of asking him.

\---

The stadium roared to life as Hau, Gladion, and their opponents took to the battlefield. Izzy’s heart pounded; she was always thrilled to watch a good battle, but she couldn’t help but worry about Hau, especially when he was competing on Alola’s biggest stage. Guzma, on the other hand, was brimming with a smug excitement next to her. She was also very, _very_ aware of how his entire right side was up against her since the stadium was so packed.

Hau sent out his Torracat while Gladion released Type: Null. Curious murmurs passed throughout the audience as they tried to identify his Pokemon. Meanwhile, their opponents sent out an Alolan Raichu and Eevee. The official called for the start of the match, and the battle began.

Right off the bat, the opposing team kicked things off with a combination attack. Eevee let loose a shadow ball which Raichu added onto by unleashing a fierce thunderbolt directly into it. The dark sphere pulsed with electrical charges as it blasted across the stadium and made contact with Torracat. The cat screamed out as it was sent flying backward, barreling directly towards Hau.

Izzy felt her heart leap into her throat; her sunshine boy was about to be crushed by his own Pokemon. Luckily, by some grace of the Tapus, Hau ducked just in time, narrowly missing his head ripped off. Torracat, however, wasn’t as lucky, and struggled to stand after taking such a devastating blow.

“Huh. Seems like a good combo attack could do some major damage,” Guzma stated casually. “Maybe we could try to come up with a few of those.” Izzy unintentionally ignored Guzma; her sole focus was on the match and on Hau’s well-being, and so far both of those aspects seemed to have taken a turn for the worst.

Gladion took advantage of his opponents’ focus on Hau and sent Type: Null sprinting across the stadium. “Null, crush claw!” The Pokemon leapt at Raichu and pinned it to the ground underneath it with its front legs. Unable to escape Type: Null’s grip, the Raichu tried to throw the Pokemon off of it. “Now! Tri Attack!” At point blank range, Type: Null unleashed three powerful beams directly at the Raichu, which resulted in copious amounts of dust kicking up around them from the impact. The two Pokemon could no longer be seen, but the Raichu’s agonizing howls could be distinctly heard above all the noise.

“Null, again!” A beam of light could be seen radiating once more through all the dust, and Raichu could be heard again crying out in pain. It seemed that Type: Null still had a hold of the poor Raichu and intended on ending this battle quickly.

Eevee tried to step in to save the day by flying in with an iron tail, but was quickly redirected by an surprise flamethrower attack from Torracat, who had recovered enough from the initial hit to get back into the mix. Per Hau’s command, Torracat suddenly engulfed itself in flames and charged head on at the Eevee. Despite the creature’s best attempts, it took a direct hit from Torracat and was sent flying out of the battlefield and into the audience. A group of people tried to move out of the way, but the Eevee was abruptly halted in midair by one of the official’s Alakazams using its psychic abilities.

The dust around Type: Null and Raichu finally settled as well, and Raichu was left lying unmoving under the Pokemon’s paws. The crowd went silent, and then suddenly erupted into a feverish cheer as the announcer proclaimed Hau and Gladion the winners. 

Izzy let out a breath that she didn’t realize she was holding. Her sunshine boy had done it! In a matter of moments, Gladion and Hau had managed to quickly turn the battle around and win their first Hau’oli City Blitz match. She smiled at him; he was obviously looking around in the crowd for her, and somehow managed to spot her and Guzma among the hundreds of people in the stadium. He beamed at her and waved.

 _He’s grown so strong,_ she thought. She was immensely proud of him and how he was growing up. _Hopefully we’ll be able to battle him ourselves soon enough!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izzy's in for a rough time next chapter :)


	6. Hold On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A battle, a glimpse into the past, and some fluff. We'll get somewhere eventually.

“Masquerain! C’mon, get back up!”

The battle was looking bleak. Izzy and Guzma were at a huge type disadvantage, and the brawl had managed to drag on long enough to wear down both Masquerain and Primarina. On the other hand, the opponents’ Jolteon and Electivire were looking as if the battle had just begun. Izzy could feel a knot forming in her stomach; in order to move on to the knockout rounds, her and Guzma had to win this final group stage match.

Their second match had gone without a hitch--in fact, they had set a new record in tournament history for the quickest match, finishing off their opponents in a mere seventeen seconds. Izzy grimaced; perhaps that win had gone to their heads and caused her and Guzma to underestimate their latest rivals.

Masquerain fluttered off the ground weakly, hardly able to remain airborne. Primarina stood in front of the bug to protect it, but was also struggling to remain upright. She looked back at Izzy, desperate for some kind of plan or command to get out of the situation. 

Guzma dug his fingers into his hair, gritting his teeth. “Urg… What the fuck are we s’posed to do now?!”

Izzy remained silent, trying to think of something, _anything_ that would turn the tables in their favor. Although her opponents had the same type Pokemon, they covered each other’s weaknesses well; Electivire was the powerhouse of the group, and Jolteon used its speed to keep her team at bay while Electivire unleashed its devastating attacks. Masquerain had managed to trap Electivire with an Infestation attack (at the cost of a point-blank Thunder Punch), but it was only a matter of time until it broke free and began its rampage again. If they could get Jolteon out of the picture now, then they’d have a chance of knocking out the Electivire after; they just needed to get Jolteon to slow down long enough to land a solid hit. But how could they manage that?

And then it hit her. There were certain moves that could cause a Pokemon to flinch on impact, which would stop any creature dead in its tracks and leave an opening for an attack. Guzma’s Masquerain just happened to know a move that could do so: Air Slash. However, there was only about 30% chance a flinch would occur, so it was a long shot at best, but a shot nevertheless.

“I have an idea! Guzma, have Masquerain keep using Air Slash on Jolteon until it flinches!”

A look of disbelief overtook Guzma’s face. “That’s your master plan?!”

“JUST DO IT!”

With a scowl, Guzma followed Izzy’s instructions. As Jolteon began charging at the duo with a Thunder Fang, Masquerain’s wings buzzed weakly as it struggled to unleash an Air Slash. It was obvious that this would be their only chance; if Jolteon managed to shake off the attack and land the Thunder Fang on Masquerain, the battle was as good as over.

_Please, please flinch._

The spiraling burst of wind collided with the Jolteon, and the Pokemon stopped dead in its tracks, its face twisted up in pain.

“AQUA JET, NOW!”

Seeing her opportunity, Primarina tore across the stadium in a rush of water. She hit her target dead on, and Jolteon was sent rolling across the ground. The audience gasped; Jolteon was knocked out cold, and the odds evened out between the two teams.

“Holy shit,” Izzy said, heart beating out of her chest. She looked over at Guzma, who was also floored that luck was on his side for once. “We have a chance!”

At that moment, Electivire managed to break free from the swarm of bugs that had encompassed it and roared out, an electrifying rage radiating from it. Primarina stood defiantly, refusing to back down from the beast. The crowd swelled with enthusiasm; the match wasn’t over yet.

“Take them both down, now! Thunder!” Electivire’s trainer yelled. The Pokemon began pulsing with electrical power, emitting a strange vibration as it powered up its attack.

Izzy panicked; they had to take down Electivire _now,_ before it got its attack off. She looked over at Guzma, who was wide-eyed and white-knuckled. They had one strategy left that they had practiced once, but it was far from reliable.

“Combo winds?” Izzy asked, an unsure grin on her face. Guzma nodded his head.

“Fuck it.”

Then, in unison, Guzma and Izzy called out to their Pokemon their next command, and the two sprung into action. Together, Primarina and Masquerain unleashed an Icy Wind and Silver Wind attack. A violent, searing gust of wind picked up in the stadium; it was rigid with a winter chill, but glistened beautifully in the sunlight.

Izzy looked over to Guzma, and for a moment, her focus on the battle faded as she gawked at the sight in front of her. His hair was whipped around by the winds that had kicked up along with his jacket and necklace. With his teeth gritted and a fierce, determined look in his eyes, his entire being was focused on nothing but the battle in front of him. Guzma was completely and utterly in his element.

The winds suddenly grew stronger, and then seemed to specifically target Electivire, forming a wicked-fast air tunnel flying straight towards him. The gusts howled mercilessly, as if a blizzard had suddenly formed in the middle of the stadium itself. And the attack made direct contact with Electivire.

Electivire cried out in pain, unleashing its Thunder attack in the wrong direction. It fell to one knee as it tried to withstand the attack, holding its arms out in front of its face as a feeble attempt to protect itself. Primarina and Masquerain continued their onslaught, holding on to whatever bit of strength had left. The gusts were relentless, and small particles of ice and powder began to accumulate on Electivire’s fur.

The winds abruptly stopped, and Masquerain fell to the ground, completely exhausted and no longer able to battle. Primarina barely managed to hold on, but looked as though she’d fall over at any second. Across the stadium, Electivire seemed to be trying to will itself to stand back up and fight but also looked like it would collapse with the slightest touch.

Izzy held her breath. It was obvious that both Pokemon were about to fall. It was just a matter of who would fall first.

_Hang on. Please, hang on!_

A hush fell over the crowd, and time itself seemed to come to a standstill. The two Pokemon appeared to be having a standoff, both desperately clinging to whatever energy and determination they could muster from their exhausted bodies. The trainers didn’t dare say a word in fear of ruining their Pokemon’s focus. Then, Primarina started to sway and seemed to be falling to the ground. Izzy tried to scream out to her partner, but found her voice lodged in her throat. She closed her eyes, accepting the loss.

But it was Electivire who fell first with a loud, satisfying _thud._ Primarina, who had somehow managed to hang on just long enough to ensure the win, followed shortly after, overcome from exhaustion.

The crowd erupted into cheers and cries that seemed to shake the entire stadium. The announcer’s voice could be heard overhead, but Izzy couldn’t make out what it was saying. She didn’t care. She sprinted over toward Primarina and tackled her with an enormous hug, tears of joy and relief running down her face. 

“You did it, girl! I’m so proud of you!” Izzy choked out, grinning from ear to ear. The Pokemon weakly cooed back at her before falling unconscious.

Guzma fell to his knees, jaw dropped and eyes wide in disbelief. He knew that Izzy and her team were incredibly strong, but this? This was absolutely _insane._ They had started off severely disadvantaged and been backed into a corner, but Izzy was able to keep a cool enough head to just barely pull them into a victory. Call it power, call it strategy, call it pure dumb luck. Whatever it was, it _fucking worked._

From a distance, Izzy turned and looked at Guzma, beaming. She seemed to be radiating joy itself, and Guzma couldn’t help but smile back. He felt a sudden flutter in his stomach again, but didn’t pay much attention to it. He wanted to live in this moment and never let it end.

\---

“That battle was crazy! I can’t believe you two managed to turn the tide like that!” Hau said with a mouthful of ramen. Izzy scolded him for his lack of table manners but smiled back nevertheless.

Hau had insisted on taking Izzy and Guzma out to dinner to celebrate their recent win--and of course dragged poor Gladion along as well. Both teams had managed to make their way into the knockout rounds, and tonight they’d partake in this small delight as they enjoyed their moment on top of the world.

“Honestly, I can’t believe it either,” Izzy remarked, “but I guess things worked out for us in the end! I’m giving Primarina whatever she wants for the next few days.”

“And Guzma! Your Masquerain was incredible out there! I’ve never seen one be able to take a full throttle Thunder Punch and continue battling before! Especially not from an Electivire!” Hau beamed at the gang leader.

“Eh… Izzy won that battle for us,” he remarked, his voice low and eyes fleeting.

“Oh, c’mon, Guz. Your Masquerain is the reason we even had a chance! She trapped Electivire long enough to let us take out Jolteon and was able to slow down that little shit enough for us to finish it off! And--” Izzy grabbed his shoulder and shook it softly-- “you seem to be forgetting that we finished off Electivire with a _combined attack._ There was no way in hell Primarina would have finished that thing off by herself.”

“Whatever.”

“Guzma, take a compliment for once,” Gladion chimed in much to the group’s surprise. “You’re discrediting not just yourself, but your Pokemon. Masquerain worked hard, can’t you acknowledge that?” Guzma scowled in return, but said nothing more. 

The air at the table suddenly felt thick and awkward, and Izzy scrapped for something to say to break the silence. However, she didn’t need to wait long; the television propped up in the corner of the restaurant suddenly flared to life, and an emergency news segment began rolling.

“This is an emergency alert to the entirety of Alola,” the newscaster began, obvious beads of sweat forming along the side of her face. “Over the past few hours, we have received multiple witness accounts of Team Rocket--the notorious Kanto mafia--being present in Alola. It is currently unknown what the team’s intentions are, but the Chief of Police, officer Nanu, is advising everybody to use extreme caution and travel in groups.”

Worried murmurs and whispers swirled around the restaurant. Hau and Gladion looked at each other with concern while Guzma began saying something. But Izzy couldn’t hear any of it. She felt the blood in her veins run cold and her chest tighten up; breathing suddenly seemed impossible.

_They weren’t supposed to find me here._

The newscaster continued to speak on the matter, but the words seemed to mesh into one another. They didn’t make any sense. 

_I can’t do this again._

Her hands were trembling uncontrollably. She felt a terrible, merciless sense of dread spread through her.

_He’s going to kill me._

“Iz? Izzy? You okay?” Guzma was looking at her intensely, eyebrows slightly furrowed and voice low and serious. Both of his hands were holding one of hers, his thumbs slowly rubbing over it in attempts to calm her tremors. Hau and Gladion looked concerned as well, but didn’t say anything.

“I want to leave.”

“Wait what? Izzy, what’s going--”

She stood up abruptly, causing the plates and glasses on the table to rattle. _“I want to leave, now.”_

Her voice was harsh and her skin had gone completely pale. Guzma looked over to the boys; Hau gave him a curt nod, and Guzma slowly stood up beside her.

“Okay, let’s go,” he said softly.

\---

The walk back to the apartment was tense. Izzy had a death grip on Guzma’s arm the whole way back and was constantly looking around her, eyes jetting back and forth as if she was waiting for something to suddenly pop out and attack her. Guzma didn’t dare say a word; he worried that she would mistake him for an enemy and pounce him if he did.

Guzma’s mind wandered. It had become obvious that Izzy had some kind of run in with Team Rocket in the past, but what could they have possibly done to her that made her so terrified of them? She didn’t seem like the type of person to really be scared of anything--hell, she hardly ever batted an eye with him. But now? Guzma could hardly recognize her. Her whole body was trembling, and her eyes were wide with fear.

An anger began to boil deep inside of him. He knew Team Rocket’s reputation all too well--news of their heinous deeds spread far past the borders of Kanto. Regardless, he felt a burning desire to thoroughly kick every single one of their asses. He didn’t care who they were, all he knew was that Izzy became a mere shell of herself the second she heard they were in Alola. She deserved better than that.

When they entered her apartment, she finally let go of his arm only to search the area and ensure they were safe. She did so with haste, quickly peaking around every nook and cranny--even those which were certainly too small for a person to fit. Guzma looked on in silence until she finally stopped and sat quietly on the couch, determining the apartment was safe for the time being.

“I’m sorry,” was all she could muster, her voice fragile.

Guzma cautiously sat next to her. He spoke softly, worried he might scare her off. “Talk to me, Iz. What’s going on?”

She finally looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes once again. Guzma felt a flutter in his chest again, but he pushed the feeling aside once again, wanting to focus on making her feel safe.

“I-I can’t,” she managed to choke out, “I can’t.”

Guzma paused. “It’ll help if you talk to me, or just let me know what’s up.” She nodded her head in response, but was still unable to speak about the issue. “Can… Can I ask you yes or no questions? You can just shake or nod your head if that’s easier.”

In understanding, Izzy nodded her head.

“Okay…” Guzma sighed, scratching at the back of his head. He could work with this. “Did you have to deal with Team Rocket back when you lived in Kanto?”

She nodded her head, eyes wide and distant.

“Were you ever a part of Team Rocket?”

She shook her head adamantly at that, almost looking offended that he’d even suggest such a thing.

“Did they ever try to hurt you?”

She nodded.

“Did they… actually hurt you?”

Izzy nodded again. Guzma could feel himself clenching his fists at her response. He was going to fucking destroy the Rockets himself, so help him Arceus.

“Izzy… Is that part of why you’re here in Alola?”

She turned to him, looking small, broken, fragile. Like she had been shattered and was trying to pick up the pieces. Guzma could feel a searing pain in his chest seeing her like that.

“Yes.”

With that, Guzma wrapped his arms around her and pulled her towards his chest. Izzy gripped at his shirt, losing whatever small piece of control she still had over herself. She began sobbing, her body wracked with fear and grief from her past that she had hidden away for so long. He held her tightly, hoping to provide some semblance of safety for the poor girl in his arms.

“Listen. I know it ain’t much,” he said in a low voice, allowing one of his hands to make its way to the back of her head, “but I promise I’ll protect you.”

They remained like that for a while until Izzy finally winded down, all out of tears left to cry. There was no hiding it; she was terrified of Team Rocket and the threat they posed to her. She didn’t want to tell Guzma all the details yet, but just the fact that he at least knew a little bit about her past helped immensely. And, surprisingly, she found Guzma’s embrace to be rather comforting.

In that moment, she felt safe.

\---

Izzy woke up the next morning still tangled in Guzma’s arms. She hadn’t realized she had fallen asleep with him, but was relieved to find that she wasn’t waking up alone. However, after realizing her close proximity to him, she found herself suddenly flushed with embarrassment as she tried to worm her way out of his hold without waking him.

“Hey, is everything alright?” Guzma asked, obviously awake.

“O-oh, yeah, uh… sorry for falling asleep on you.”

“No problem,” he remarked, “you crashed out pretty quick, and I didn’t wanna wake you. Looked like you needed the sleep.”

He was right about that one. The night of rest had given her a chance to clear her mind a bit. Although she was still very aware of the fact that Team Rocket was in town, she a hundred times better equipped to handle the situation.

“Yeah, I think I did. How long have you been up for?”

“Only ‘bout twenty minutes, I think.”

Izzy began blushing furiously. He had been _awake_ and holding her in his arms as she slept for _twenty minutes?_ The thought of that made her swoon like some love-struck high school girl. Guzma had been showing her a more gentle, caring side of himself as of late, and it was enough to fill her stomach with butterflies.

_”I know it ain’t much, but I promise I’ll protect you.”_

Izzy bashfully burried her face in her hands, feeling the increasing heat radiating from her face. Now that Izzy had managed to better wrap her head around the Team Rocket scenario, she suddenly felt a rush of embarrassment overcome her from the previous night. Guzma outdid himself in taking care of her, and she was just now processing how close she had really been to him.

“Izzy? You good?”

“Oh!” She snapped out of her trance, but still could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment. “Y-yeah, I’m fine.”

Guzma didn’t seem to believe her, but accepted her half hearted answer. “Well, that’s good. Did you, uh… want to talk more about last night?”

And the giddiness and embarrassment Izzy was dealing with drained instantly from her and was replaced with a looming sense of dread. Of course Guzma wanted more answers to her reaction from last night, but she certainly wasn’t ready to discuss her run-ins with the Rockets yet.

“Um… I…” her voice quickly trailed off.

“Will you at least tell me a bit why you’re so worried about them?” He looked at her earnestly, obviously wanting to know more about the source of her fears. She gulped; he deserved to at least have some idea why Izzy was acting so strange, especially if he would have to help her operate normally with Team Rocket in the area.

“I don’t really want to go into detail right now,” she responded, “but long story short, I was a big part of the downfall of Team Rocket in Kanto. A friend and I were responsible for revealing the identity of the leader, Giovanni.” Her eyes suddenly looked distant and fuzzy, and she wrapped her arms around herself. “When we had him cornered… he nearly killed both of us. I barely got away safely. My friend… he wasn’t so lucky.”

A silence filled the room as Izzy struggled to maintain her composure. Guzma wanted to say something, but the right words wouldn’t come to him. He had so many questions. _Izzy_ was one of the trainers who was responsible for taking down Team Rocket? How the hell had she managed to get herself caught up in that? Who was her friend? And what the hell happened to him? Curiosity prodded him to push for more answers, but he restrained himself, knowing that he was lucky she revealed as much as she already had.

“Izzy… I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? Not your fault.” She threw him a half-hearted smile that made his chest hurt. She was trying so hard to be okay.

“I know, it’s just… that’s…” His voice trailed off, failing him again.

“Don’t worry about it. Yeah, they’re here in Alola, but I doubt they would have come all this way to chase me down. It’s gotta be something else.” Guzma felt himself tense up. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else. “It has to be.”

The rest of the morning passed in relative silence. Izzy left the television on the news station to keep an ear out for anymore updates on Team Rocket. She was certainly handling things significantly better than last night, but there was no denying the fact she was still on edge. She had even mustered up the courage to ask Guzma to stay with her at the apartment for the time being so she wouldn’t be alone (“Well I’m practically living here already, right?”). Yeah, Plumeria and the grunts would probably be pissed with him for being away so long, but some things just needed to be done.

To try to help Izzy take her mind off things, Guzma started discussing battle strategies with her again. Their first match in the knockout rounds was tomorrow, and despite Team Rocket’s latest appearance in Alola, the Hau’oli City Blitz was set to continue as scheduled. His plan seemed to work well enough; Izzy seemed to be back to her old self, discussing which Pokemon they should use in the next match up.

“Primarina is still exhausted from the last match, and I’m guessing your Masquerain is too. I’m thinking of putting Kommo-o in for the next round. What about you?”

“Golisopod. Need to go all out for the first knockout match, ya know?”

Izzy grinned. “You’re right about that.”

The day rattled on, and eventually night came upon the duo. Izzy gave Guzma the set of pajamas he had so grown to love. She bid him goodnight, giving him a gentle squeeze on his shoulder. He felt a pang of disappointment when Izzy went to go sleep in her own room, leaving him in the front room on the couch; he had enjoyed having her fall asleep against him, her hands still weakly clinging to his shirt, and was secretly hoping he’d feel the sensation again.

He felt a blush creeping up on his face and was suddenly glad he was alone. What the hell was going on with him? Sure, he’d thought she was attractive and had had a scandalous thought or two pass his mind before, but what was with all… _this?_ The butterflies, the weird fluttering sensations he kept getting in his chest, the way he kept blushing whenever she did certain things, it was all getting to be too much for him. He felt like some lovestruck teenager. And the fact that he suddenly felt this ridiculous urge to protect her was making things even more difficult.

But even worse? He could feel some sort of aching, yearning desperation for her touch. They hadn’t even _done anything,_ but all the little moments where they had held each other or simply tried to comfort each other for some reason or another seemed to be stacking up against him. The way she gently squeezed his leg that night on the beach and wrapped him in her arms to comfort him; how she had grabbed his shoulder at lunch that day; how she had clung to him last night. Every moment of contact with her was intoxicating in its own way. He found himself wanting more. So much more.

Indulging in his desperation, he let his mind wander. Did she feel the same way about him? Was she dealing with the same issues he was? Maybe she also wanted more from him--he smirked at that. The idea was too good to be true. But if she did… the thought sent a sudden rush down south.

_For fuck’s sake, Guzma. Get yourself together._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any errors! I'll come back and fix them eventually... or not.


	7. The Attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for being so inconsistent! Grad school is hard and so is life :) Also over 100 hits???? Y'all are awesome. I love and appreciate all of you! Hope y'all are enjoying the fic!

Despite her best efforts, sleep didn’t come to Izzy that night. Her mind was racing with worries for the next day. She still wasn’t ready to leave the supposed safety of her apartment knowing Team Rocket was in Alola.

 _Why the hell are they here?_ She knew Giovanni was always looking for the quickest and surest ways to become more powerful, but how did his search lead him to Alola? It was a peaceful, quaint region that even lacked a champion and Elite Four. Was it the Z-Crystals? Possibly, but that would be a stretch. Or maybe he was looking to capture the Tapus and use them for his cause? That sounded a bit more up his alley, but Izzy couldn’t be sure.

Hell, maybe it had something to do with all those wormholes.

Whatever the reason was didn’t matter. All she knew was that she had a match to win tomorrow that she needed to get some rest for. But, alas, sleep mocked her as she still laid awake in bed.

_You didn’t have this problem last night with Guzma._

She berated her conscience for even bringing up such a thing, but it was true. Despite her fears, she had slept soundly in Guzma’s arms the previous night. Although she doubted whether or not he’d be able to keep his promise of protecting her, his words brought peace and comfort to her. She mentally kicked herself for not having the courage to ask him to sleep next to her that night.

_You could go ask him now._

She groaned, throwing her pillow over her face. That little voice in her head was quite tempting.

_He probably wants you to ask him._

She told the voice in her head to go fuck itself.

\---

Morning eventually came and, thankfully, Izzy had managed to get some amount of rest. It certainly wasn’t as much as desired, but it would at least get her through the day. When she made her way into the front room, she noted that Guzma also looked a bit worse for wear as well; it seemed like sleep had taunted them both in the previous night.

As the pair ate breakfast, Izzy made a point to scan through all the major Alola new publications to see if there were any updates on Team Rocket’s activity in the area. Although there had been a few published eye-witness accounts of seeing the group, no easily identifiable events or activities were taking place at the time.

 _Maybe they’re just here for a vacation,_ Izzy thought to herself, trying to shake off the looming sense of dread that had settled into her bones. She did her best to push back any of her concerns related to the Rockets; after all, her and Guzma had an important match to win.

\---

Despite the warnings of Team Rocket the previous day, Hau’oli City was blossoming with hundreds of people who were eagerly awaiting the first set of knockout matches. Izzy and Guzma even found it a bit difficult to navigate their way to the stadium through the herds of fans, constantly getting swallowed up by gaggles of people who were desperate to engage with any Blitz trainers they could get their hands on. Surprisingly, Izzy was comforted by the sheer number of people present; it was as if there was some kind of safety in numbers that made her feel more at ease.

Since the tournament was beginning its knockout stages, Izzy and Guzma were able to enter the stadium through the front entrance, surrounded by paparazzi and news reporters all seeking to get a statement from the pair. One over-eager news journalist even accidentally hit Guzma on the head with a microphone and was awarded a scowl that would have done some major damage if looks could kill. Izzy couldn’t help but laugh at the way the journalist squeaked as she scurried off.

“I thought bein’ famous would be cool, but it’s just fuckin’ annoying,” Guzma grumbled as he tried to escape the crowd.

“Careful what you wish for, I guess!”

When the pair finally made it inside the stadium, they were greeted by a small smattering of about a dozen trainers. It was then that reality set in; only sixteen of the original sixty-four pairs remained, and by the end of the week only eight would be left. The thought sent a rush of excitement through Izzy’s body. Things were progressing faster than she had expected.

Suddenly, an overly-enthusiastic Hau tackled Izzy out of nowhere, followed by a somewhat-but-not-entirely-thrilled Gladion. “You’re here! I’m so excited to see you battle today!”

“Of course we’re here,” Izzy chuckled as she embraced the boy, “did you think we weren’t going to show up?”

“And Guzma!” Hau turned to the man, beaming at him, “What kind of strategy are you planning for today?” 

“Just the ol’ beat down as usual, kid.” The side of Guzma’s mouth quirked up into a cocky smirk, and Hau laughed in response.

“Well I hope you’re right,” Gladion chimed in, “‘Cause the team you’re going up against isn’t just messing around.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Guzma responded, the smirk wiped clean off his face.

“Can’t say much for the woman on their team. But I saw the guy battle a few times before the tournament. His name is Liam. He can get pretty nasty on the battlefield.”

“Nasty? Like, as in super powerful?” Izzy asked, intrigued.

Gladion’s face went dark for a moment. “No. Nasty as in _nasty._ Dirty. A cheat. Doesn’t like to play by the rules.” He looked Izzy in the eye, an obvious spark of concern radiating from his. “Please be careful.”

“Relax, kid!” Guzma angrily huffed out, obviously annoyed. “Ain’t nobody gonna come up here and try to scare us out of the Blitz. Must be out of your fuckin’ mind.”

“I’m not trying to--you know what, fine. I tried to warn you.” With that, Gladion stormed off in the opposite direction, a concerned Hau following after him. Izzy turned to Guzma, annoyed.

Izzy turned to Guzma; she could already feel her blood pressure rising. “Why’d you do that? He was just trying to help.”

“Tryin’ to help or not, he’s throwing us off our game before our match.” He gave Izzy a look that sent a chill down her spine. “We won’t have to worry about anythin’ if we crush them early enough.”

Although he had handled the situation poorly, Izzy supposed that he had a point. They already had a strategy in mind; changing it now based on Gladion’s warning would be risky. She decided to push aside any reprimands she had for Guzma’s actions until after the match.

\---

“Ya ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

The pair walked out of the hallway and onto the battlefield. The crowd burst into cheers, but this time with a flare that Izzy didn’t recognize from their last three matches. The excitement for the tournament was building exponentially, and with the first set of knockout rounds at hand, the audience seemed ready to burst.

“Fans, please join me in welcoming back team number 52, consisting of the Kantonian menace, Izzy, and human destruction itself, Guzma!” The announcer’s voice boomed throughout the stadium, enticing the audience to rally even louder from the stands.

Surprisingly, Izzy and Guzma weren’t met with any boos or jeers. She couldn’t help but smile; it seemed like things were turning up for them.

“And from the west side of the stadium, give it up for team number 13! Please welcome Poni island’s rising star, Krystal, and the madman himself, Liam!” The pair entered from the opposite side of the stadium, looking straight ahead to Izzy and Guzma. Even more surprising, the audience did not seem entirely welcoming of team 13,

As the teams made their way to the center of the battlefield, the announcer rattled off a few stats about each of them; both teams had managed to remain completely undefeated in the group stages and had both also each broken a tournament record--Izzy and Guzma had the quickest match of all time from their second bout, and Liam and Krystal had the quickest individual knockout of all time, putting a Koffing out of its misery in less than three seconds in their third bout. It was obvious that both teams were about to put on quite a fight.

When Liam and Krystal finally came into better view, she realized that they both had a fiery intensity to them. Krystal, a shorter, blue haired woman, seemed amped up and ready to battle with brute power. On the other hand, something about Liam seemed off to the point where Izzy felt unsettled. The man had to be at least six feet tall, and his hair was long and disheveled against his ghastly pale skin. He seemed to radiate a smug cockiness that just screamed he had something intriguing up his sleeves. But worst of all, Izzy could have sworn she recognized this Liam guy from somewhere. She felt her stomach suddenly knot up.

_“Please be careful.”_

“Hey.” Guzma pulled her out of her trance, placing his hand on her shoulder; she could have sworn she felt her chest flutter from the contact. “We’ll be fine.” She nodded, trying her best to focus on the task at hand.

“Trainers,” the head official’s voice boomed, “release your Pokemon!”

Izzy and Guzma released their Kommo-o and Golisopod, and both roared in anticipation of the battle. Krystal set loose a female Pyroar whose long, thin mane streaked back against her body as she stood ready to pounce. The stadium was filled with “oohs” and “aahs” as the crowd took in the sight of the powerful beasts before them. However, it was obvious that there was still one Pokemon missing from the line up.

“Sir, this is your first warning!” the official yelled at Liam. “Release your Pokemon or be disqualified!”

Liam’s smirk grew sinister, and Izzy could feel her blood run cold when he looked directly at her. His voice seemed to curl off his lips. “Oh, Isabel you’re going to _love_ this.”

And out came the vilest, most menacing looking Toxicroak Izzy had ever seen in her life. Its mouth oozed with toxins that scorched the ground when droplets of it fell. The talons on its arms were perfectly honed and primed for attack while the pouch on its chest slowly pumped in and out, flushing around the deadly liquid that resided within it.

But the one thing that shook Izzy to her core was its eyes. The yellows that surrounded its pupils seemed sickly and puss-like, and they seemed to pulse with a strange anticipation. They were hardened and scoped in on her, and Izzy could feel a panic rising inside her.

The official raised his flag and the stadium fell silent. The only thing Izzy could hear was the thumping of her heart. “Battle--” he quickly waved the down-- “begin!”

The Toxicroak lurched forward, disappearing from sight before reappearing next to Kommo-o. Unable to react in time, he took the full impact of a Poison Jab and was sent flying into Golisopod. The pair of Pokemon tumbled across the battlefield, bodies intertwined.

“Golisopod! Throw Kommo-o back at Toxicroak!” Guzma yelled. Izzy looked incredulously at him. “Trust me!” Confused, Golisopod clumsily grabbed Kommo-o and launched him at Toxicroak as hard as it could; the dragon roared as it flew through the air.

Catching on to Guzma’s plan, Izzy followed suite. “Now! Dragon Claw!” she cried out. While darting through the air straight towards the Toxicroak, its claw became coated in a glowing purple light as the talons themselves increased in length. The objective was clear; take down the Toxicroak at full force.

The attack landed before the Toxicroak could move to avoid it, and the beast was smashed into the ground, spewing out a harsh liquid as it was brutally buried into the dirt. The crowd roared; it seemed that Toxicroak’s quick initial attack was for naught.

However, taking advantage of the time that Kommo-o and Golisopod were distracted by Toxicroak, Pyroar charged at Golisopod, its body engulfed in a raging fire.

“Golisopod! Liquidation!” Guzma called out in desperation, but it was too late; Pyroar made direct contact with the beast. Golisopod cried out in pain, taking the brunt of the hit as he tumbled back across the stadium. Guzma felt a pit form in his stomach as he watched his partner attempt to stand back up. Golisopod’s scales were scorched a dark brown from the impact.

As Guzma commanded Golisopod to retaliate against the Pyroar, Toxicroak reemerged from the ground, its signature sinister grin still plastered on its face. Izzy felt her entire body tense up as its yellow eyes bore into her. Kommo-o stood at the ready, preparing for his next command.

“Toxicroak,” Liam called out, staring at Izzy with a crooked smirk and a crazed look in his eyes, “you know what to do! Poison Jab!”

Toxicroak sprung into action, lunging at its target with its arm outstretched. Kommo-o braced for impact, taking a defensive stance with his arms guarding most of his core.

Except Toxicroak blew right by Kommo-o.

It was as if everything started moving in slow motion. The Toxicroak was bolting straight toward Izzy, arm fully extended and pointing directly at her chest. Kommo-o, seeing the creature’s intentions, whipped around to redirect the Toxicroak, but couldn’t match its speed. Guzma was turning towards Izzy, a look of desperation across his face. He saw what was coming but knew there was nothing he could do.

It all suddenly made sense. Kommo-o was never Toxicroak’s ultimate target. Izzy was.

She tried to sidestep out of the way but hardly had any time to move at all--the Pokemon was already too close and was rushing her at full speed. Toxicroak’s talon tore mercilessly into the side of Izzy’s abdomen, leaving an open, bloody gash. The audience cried out in terror, and Izzy was sent flying by the impact of the hit. Her body flopped like a rag doll across the ground until it finally crumpled on itself .

Izzy laid motionless for a moment. Although it only lasted a second, it felt like an eternity. _What just happened?_ There was an eerie silence, and she was alone with her thoughts. She knew she had just been attacked, but for some reason wasn’t processing it yet. She lifted her head slightly to see the damage done; her side was bleeding out, and a strange, purple liquid seemed to be splattered across her abdomen and in her wound as well. _Why…?_

And then the pain set in. Oh, _fuck_ did the pain set in. Izzy screamed out in agony, a searing pain throbbing in her side. Her entire body ached from the brutal landing it had endured, but the open wound put her in a state of madness; the poison was already taking its toll, and she was begging for the pain to subside.

The moments after the attack happened in a mad frenzy; Kommo-o targeted Toxicroak and tackled him as far away from Izzy as she could. A flurry of officers and police pokemon units stormed the field, half of them surrounding the Toxicroak and the other half surrounding the two trainers of the opposing team. The audience became hysterical; screams and yells could be heard as people tried to escape the stadium in fear of the rogue Pokemon. The tournament officials called the match and issued a disqualification to the team, and the announcer was heard overhead bidding the audience to stay calm and remain seated. But above all the madness, Liam could be heard laughing hysterically.

But Izzy didn’t see or hear any of the madness. Her ears were ringing, and the pain in her abdomen was becoming far too much to bear. She tried to look around, but her vision was growing cloudy; everything around her was dull and fuzzy, and the stadium felt like it was spinning. She tried to move but could only manage to roll herself from her side to her back. Izzy was stuck on the ground alone, mind reeling from what happened.

The poison was setting in, and she knew it. She was scared.

Then a tall, dark blur came rushing towards her. She couldn’t tell who or what it was, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. She closed her eyes and prayed whatever it was would show her some kind of mercy.

It did. It placed one hand softly on the side of her face and the other on her chest.

Tears started streaming down her face; she couldn’t see him, but she knew it was Guzma. She was safe now.

He started saying something to her, but his voice was strangely mumbled and muted--she couldn’t make out any of the words. His voice sounded desperate, pleading, scared. He got closer to her face and was speaking louder--shouting, probably--but she still couldn’t understand the words coming from his mouth.

Her vision started to fade, and Guzma’s voice became quieter as the seconds passed. She was fighting to stay conscious, but it was a battle she had no means of winning. She managed to lift her hand and place it against the one on her chest, giving it a soft squeeze.

Everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dramaaaaaaaaaa
> 
> Also it's a bit of a shorter chapter. Sorry! Hopefully I can get the next one up soon enough.


	8. Ode to Joy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! Sorry for the delay, track season is in full swing and collegiate running is freakin' hard, man. Didn't really proofread this at all (lol what's new) so I'm hoping to go back at some point and fix everything up! 
> 
> Also, thank you all so much for reading! It really means a lot to me and hope you're enjoying the ride :)) It's kinda crazy cause this story is over 80 pages long on the doc I'm writing it on, and it just keeps going! I'm always dying to write more and can't wait for you all to read the rest of it. 
> 
> Also hope everyone is doing well and isn't sick!! (WASH YO DAMN HANDS)

Guzma would be the first to admit that he isn’t very religious. He was never big on the church scene, he didn’t offer up prayers or blessings to the island deities of Alola, and he sure as hell didn’t put any faith in them to solve his problems--after all, where were they when his father beat him? When he was cast out to the streets? When he thought he would starve to death in the harsh rains of route 17? If you wanted something done, you had to do it yourself, not with some stupid fucking magic tricks from the gods.

But in the moments when he held Izzy’s motionless body in his arms, he felt helpless. Her arms had fallen limp at her sides, and the gash across the side of her body was oozing out blood and a strange, vile liquid that bubbled up, both of which were seeping into his clothes. There was absolutely nothing he could do to help her.

And Guzma prayed. He prayed unceasingly. He prayed angrily. He prayed desperately.

_Please, Arceus, Mew, Tapus, fucking anyone! Save her!_

“Izzy! Stay with me!” He shook her body, clutching at her shoulders, but his pleas were met with silence.

A group of medics rushed over and pried Izzy from Guzma’s arms. He didn’t put up much of a fight; he was still in shock from the attack, his mind reeling. She was carried out of the stadium on a stretcher, and Guzma remained on his knees on the ground, feeling a tightness in his chest that was damn near suffocating him. He looked on as Izzy and the medics went through the exit, his arm involuntarily reaching out towards her as they vanished.

A numbness swallowed him. He knew just how deadly Toxicroak venom was--the mortality rate among humans for it was absurdly high, and even those who survived it were often left with some kind of permanent organ damage. The thought of losing Izzy made Guzma’s heart feel like it was being ripped out of his chest, but he knew the odds were incredibly stacked against her.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t _right._ How could this have happened?

And then a burning rage consumed him. He felt it resonate within his chest and spread all the way to his fingers; he could feel his jaw clenching up painfully and his fingernails digging into his palms. He looked like some kind of wild beast as he stood from the ground, Izzy’s blood smeared across his arms and chest. 

He was going to fucking kill that trainer.

But before he could take off at a dead sprint, two sets of arms wrapped around him and pulled him back. He fought and kicked and shouted, desperately trying to break free; he didn’t fucking care who it was, he needed to kill Liam.

“Fuckin’... Let… GO!” Guzma wreathed around trying to break free, but to no avail.

“Guzma! Enough!” Guzma recognized the voice as Hala’s.

“I’m gonna kill him! I’m gonna fuckin’ _kill him!”_

“Cousin! The police already have him!” The other voice belonged to Professor Kukui.

“I don’t CARE! Let go!” Guzma continued thrashing against the two men who were now struggling to keep a hold on him. His eyes were wide and wild as he attempted to break free.

“Guzma, stop! Please!” It was a third voice, but one that seemed a bit more timid, as if it had barely mustered the confidence to speak up. Guzma turned to find the source of the voice and saw Hau, standing beside Hala. “It’s not worth it!”

“Shut the _fuck up,_ kid! Don’t tell me it’s not worth it!” Guzma was even more enraged, thrashing even harder against the two men who were holding him back.

“Guzma, please! Trust me, I want to go with you to fight him just as badly,” Hau began, stepping closer to Guzma as he worked up the courage to stand up to the crazed man, “but it’s not worth it because Izzy needs us right now! She’s at the hospital alone and she’s fighting for her life! We need to be there with her!”

Surprisingly, that seemed to sober up Guzma from his anger. His body fell limp against the arms that were holding him back, and he looked at the ground, defeated.

“Kid…”

“She needs _you,_ Guzma. I can’t explain it, but I… I think she wanted to fight _for you_ in the tournament, and I think she’ll fight for you now. So please, give her a reason to fight!”

The three men were stunned into silence. Hala and Kukui released their grip on Guzma, who was completely shell shocked. Hau was right. Revenge be damned (for now); Izzy needed him.

“Thanks, kid.” Without missing a beat, Guzma sprinted in the direction of the nearest hospital.

\---

It was no surprise that a large crowd of people had already gathered outside of the hospital building. Reporters with flashing cameras surrounded the entrance while officers attempted to hold them back. Guzma threw himself through the crowd, his body colliding with countless others. Many angry looks were thrown his way, but he didn’t pay them any attention; his only goal was to find Izzy.

When he finally managed to make it to the front doors, two officers stopped him, holding their batons across his body. “Sir, I’m afraid we can’t let you in here—”

“My partner is in there!” He shouted, shoving the two officers out of his way. They threw a disheveled look at him as he ran by them, but otherwise let him pass without any other delays.

Guzma ran into the lobby, which was filled with a variety of people. A few officers were patrolling the area and threw him some suspicious looks, while many of the Blitz officials were also seen worriedly discussing the events that had just occurred. He blew by them and bolted straight to the front desk and was met with a young, anxious woman who seemed unsure of what all the commotion was about.

“Where’s Izzy?”

“I-I’m sorry?”

“IZZY! What room is Izzy in?!” He slammed his hands on the desk, causing the woman to jump.

“S-sir, I don’t know—”

“Isabel Arnolds,” an assertive yet calm voice interjected. “The young woman who just came in from the Toxicroak attack. Could you tell me what room she’s in?”

It was Kukui, who had somehow kept up with Guzma’s mad sprint to the Hospital. Despite the obvious concern scrawled out on the man’s face, he kept his composure nicely.

Flustered, the woman began shuffling through the papers in front of her until she came across the information she was looking for. “O-oh, Isabel is on the third floor, room 307! But she’s in the ICU so—”

Before she could finish speaking, Guzma took off once again with Kukui in pursuit. His legs were burning at this point from running all the way from the stadium, but he ignored them as he tore up the stairs as fast as he could. Throwing the door open, he was met with a flurry of doctors and nurses dashing by him and down the hallway. Assuming they were all headed towards Izzy, he followed them.

Guzma trailed the group as they suddenly all dipped into room 307. He stood in the doorway as the doctors surrounded the bed on which an unconscious body was strewn across. There were countless wires and cords attached to various points on the body, and most of its face was blocked out by some kind of oxygen mask. People rushed around her yelling random numbers and phrases that didn’t make any sense. Smears of blood could be seen across the bed as well as on some of the doctors’ and nurses’ uniforms.

 _That’s not Izzy,_ Guzma thought to himself. The unconscious body looked nothing like the brave, bubbly, energetic Izzy he knew. It was weak, frail, and seemed to be on the brink of death.

But then her head fell to the side, and there was no mistaking it. Her disheveled hair was strewn across her face and over the oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose. Her face was drained of any color, but was still undeniably hers.  
“Izzy…” The name escaped his lips as he looked on in horror.

“Sir, you can’t be in here!” One of the doctors yelled above all the commotion. “You need to go to the waiting room immediately!”

Guzma didn’t respond. He didn’t even hear the words; they just seemed to graze over him. His whole body was frozen in shock and disbelief. He remembered the empty promise he gave her the previous night and was filled with dread and self-hatred.

He had failed to protect her.

Kukui grabbed him by the shoulders and gently guided him away from the room and down the hallway. He didn’t fight back—he couldn’t. His mind was still reeling, and his whole body felt numb aside from the aching pain and tightness in his chest.

_This is your fault._

Finally succumbing to the exhaustion of running across half of the city to get to the hospital, Guzma’s legs gave out on him, and he awkwardly crumbled to the ground. Kukui asked him something, his tone concerned, but the words once again seemed to graze right over him.

_You promised her you’d protect her._

He remained there for a moment, his breathing slowly becoming less and less controlled. His hands balled up into fists so tight that he was certain his nails had cut into the palms of his hands. Slight tremors began to shake his body, and he felt a sense of panic rising inside of him.

“Cousin,” Kukui spoke softly, kneeling next to Guzma and placing a hand on his back. The touch was just enough to bring him out of his own head. “She’s going to be okay. She’s strong. You know that too, yeah?”

Guzma couldn’t help but scoff at that. “Course I do.”

“Then have some faith. She can do this. And we’ll all be here for her.”

\---

Kukui got Guzma a change of clothes and reserved him a shower to wash all the blood that had begun to crust on his skin. While rinsing off, he felt his stomach knot up as he watched the water running off his body with a reddish-brown color trickle down the drain. He eventually had to close his eyes, unable to bear the thought of just how much of her blood was on him.

The time spent in the waiting room seemed never ending. He had sat in total silence and had been joined by Hau, Hala, and Gladion at some point. To be quite honest, Guzma didn’t really recall them ever showing up; they had just suddenly appeared and--thankfully--had given him some space. Kukui, on the other hand, had left the waiting room a while ago in the midst of an intense phone call.

Guzma felt guilty for a number of reasons. First off, he had promised to protect her and failed to do so. Call Guzma what you want; a criminal, a cheat, a thug, whatever. The one thing he wasn’t was a _liar._ And he didn’t keep his promise to Izzy. Second (and this one hit harder now that Gladion was with him), he had completely brushed off Gladion’s warning about Liam being a dirty trainer. Did Gladion see all this coming? Probably not. But maybe, just _maybe,_ Guzma could have been able to save her if he had been more alert.

Just before Guzma fell into another cycle of despair, a doctor entered the waiting room, a clipboard in hand. “Everyone, we have an update on Isabel.” The entire group perked up and stared intently at the man.

“Is she okay?” Hau asked softly before he could stop himself. Hala placed a hand on his back, giving a soft squeeze on his shoulder.

The doctor let off a quick sigh. “We… don’t know yet. She’s still in critical condition. It’s a miracle she didn’t die at the scene. Somehow, the Toxicroak’s attack wasn’t a direct hit. She must have moved out of the way enough to only take part of the hit. The main physical damage was limited to two broken ribs and a collapsed lung along with an open wound, all of which are manageable injuries.

“However,” his face darkened for a moment, “as you may already know, Toxicroak venoms are some of the most lethal to humans. Isabel had a very large amount of venom injected into her body with attack. The venom has already spread through most of her body, and we are struggling to get things back under control. We are doing our best to stave off organ failure, but don’t have an antidote powerful enough for this type and quantity of venom.”

“So what are you trying to say?” Guzma practically growled at the doctor.

A hush fell over the room.

“There’s a five percent chance of survival. Her body would have to somehow survive the impacts of the venom and dispel it. We can only treat the symptoms as best as we can until then.”

The room was filled with a thick, unrelenting silence. Nobody dared to speak. Nobody dared to breathe. It was as if for a moment, time itself had stopped.

_Five percent? That’s all she gets? Five fuckin’ percent?!_

“You’re wrong.”

Surprisingly, the words Guzma was thinking didn’t come from his mouth, but rather from the sunshine boy’s. Everyone turned to Hau, whose eyes were glistening softly, tears slowly trailing down his cheeks. Gladion moved to place a hand on Hau, but he knocked it away, standing up in defiance of the death sentence the doctor had issued to Izzy.

“Hau--”

“No! He’s wrong!” Hau interjected as Hala attempted to get him to calm down. “Izzy is strong! She’s the strongest person I know! She’s… She’s…” The anger that had bubbled up within the boy seemed to be quickly dissipating as he accepted the diagnosis. Gladion placed his arms around the boy and hugged him as Hau burst into tears.

Suddenly, the door behind the doctor flew open, and a winded Professor Kukui burst into the room. Everyone turned towards the man who looked as though he had just ran a marathon.

“Doc… They’re here!” He was struggling to speak, taking in deep gulps of air between words. “The team… they’re at… the helicopter pad!”

The doctor spun around and stared at Kukui incredulously. “What?! You got them here?!” Kukui nodded, keeling over. Without another word, the doctor took off back through the doors and the group was left in silence once again.

“Kukui? What’s he talking about?” Hala asked, springing out of his seat towards the man. “What’s going--”

“They can… save Izzy!”

Hau and Gladion burst to life and threw countless questions at the professor in a matter of seconds while Hala looked on, dumbstruck by what he had just heard. Guzma, however, was having none of it. He had heard all he needed to know. One, Izzy could be saved. Two, some team had just arrived to do so. Three, they were at the helicopter pad. So, of course, Guzma took off as fast as he could after the doctor.

After storming another five flights of stairs and running past another group of officers patrolling the area, Guzma threw open the door which led to the helicopter pad on the roof. Sure enough, the doctor was there, his white coat getting whipped around from the violent gusts of wind from the helicopter that was descending towards the pad.

“You shouldn’t be here!” The doctor shouted angrily at Guzma over all the noise. “Authorized personnel only!”

“And you have to save her!” Guzma met the doctor’s eyes with a desperate plea. “I couldn’t save her, so you have to!” 

The doctor’s angered expression quickly changed, offering Guzma a cautious smile. “With this team, we’ll have a chance!”

The helicopter landed, and out came a pink-haired woman in a white dress followed by a Chansey, a Blissey, and an Audino. Guzma’s jaw dropped; it was Melissa Joy, _the_ Nurse Joy--the world’s greatest medical professional and head of the Joy Family Medical Company--and her elite team of healers. She was poised and calm, but radiated a confidence that put Guzma at ease. If anybody could save Izzy, it was her.

The doctor approached her, his arm extended. “Nurse Joy, it’s an honor--”

“Formalities later, take me to her!”

The doctor nodded and ran back inside with Nurse Joy and her team following closely in tow. Guzma, on the other hand, stood in awe of what he just saw. Somehow, Nurse Joy, a world renowned healer, had made her way to Alola just for Izzy’s sake.

Guzma thanked whatever gods there were. Izzy had a chance.

\---

Feeling a little more hopeful for Izzy’s future, Guzma was more willing to leave the waiting room. Hala and Kukui convinced him to go down to the cafeteria to eat--in fact, Guzma was more than willing to comply, noting the pangs of hunger that seemed to be thrumming against his stomach.

“Didn’t she create the very first cure for Pokemon-induced paralysis?” Hau chimed in, his mouth full once again.

“Not just that,” Gladion responded with a smirk, “but she created the entire Nurse Joy line of antidotes for all kinds of poisonings!”

“The Kanto government even credited her with single-handedly containing and curing the Caronid-12 virus that originated within a Beedrill colony,” Hala remarked. “She’s the real deal.”

“How did you manage to get her here, Kukui?” Guzma asked, also speaking with a mouthful of food.

All eyes turned towards the professor, who had been silently eating his meal. “Ah, guess we just got pretty lucky. I made some phone calls and--thankfully--she was willing to take the case. Said she was watching the matches on television, saw it happen, and knew Izzy would need all the help she could get.”

The table returned to chatting about the many accolades of Nurse Joy, but Guzma remained quiet. He and Kukui used to be close friends when Hala tried to make him complete the Island Challenge. However, when it became obvious that Kukui loved the establishment that Guzma came to hate, they drifted apart. In fact, Guzma couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Kukui since they had fallen out over an argument they had. Kukui had desperately pleaded with Guzma, asking him to finish the challenge with him, but Guzma ultimately (and explosively) refused, stating he would become strong in a way that mattered, in a way that _he_ wanted to be strong.

That had been almost ten years ago.

But even now, the professor was looking out for those around him, going above and beyond to help wherever he could. Just today, Kukui had chased after Guzma when he took off in a mad sprint to the hospital and had been there to comfort him when he had been consumed by grief over Izzy’s condition.Even when they were younger, Kukui was always the first kid to offer Guzma a helping hand, and Guzma was grateful that wasn’t a trait Kukui outgrew. 

“Cousin? You okay?” The professor asked, placing a hand on Guzma’s shoulder. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”

“Oh, yeah. I’m good.” A soft, crooked smile made its way onto Guzma’s face. “Just… thanks. For everything.”

Kukui was taken aback for a moment, but eagerly returned Guzma’s smile. He was beaming ear to ear.

\---

Night finally came, and Guzma was still sitting in the waiting room. There had been no other updates since Nurse Joy had arrived, and Guzma’s concern was increasing exponentially with every passing moment. Kukui, who was sitting next to him, also seemed to be getting impatient, standing up to pace around the room on a few occasions.

Hala had excused himself about an hour earlier to take care of some issues with the Blitz tournament. Hau and Gladion had fallen asleep, both of them leaning on each other as soft snores escaped from Hau’s slightly ajar mouth. Guzma took a look at the clock on the wall. It was almost one in the morning. No wonder the boys were crashed out.

“You look like you could use some sleep, Guz,” a toneless voice deadpanned from across the room. Guzma perked up instantly; it was a voice he knew all too well.

“Plumes?” Sure enough, Plumeria entered the waiting room, her hair down from its usual upkeep and her typical Team Skull getup exchanged for a more casual look.

“Who else would it be?” She smirked at him. “Wanna step outside and chat for a bit?”

Guzma complied immediately and followed her into an empty, blindingly white hallway. The two sat on the floor next to each other for complete silence for a moment. However, Guzma’s mind was suddenly running through a million different things. How long had it been since he had last seen Plumeria in person? When was the last time he was back in Po Town with the team? How was everybody doing? He shook his head in dismay. How was he supposed to be a leader if he couldn’t even remember to check on his group? He had been so caught up in the tournament, so caught up with Izzy--

“Don’t worry. Things have been going fine,” Plumeria said with a sad smile. It was as if she had read his mind. “The kids have been doing well back in Po Town. I left Genos in charge when I visited, and he’s been keeping me updated.”

“Thanks, Plumes.” Guzma could feel the stress that had just been building up quickly release. He laid his head back against the wall and let out a long sigh.

“But Guz,” she looked up at him earnestly, “where have you been? I was worried about you. Have hardly seen you at all. I’m sure you’re busy and everything, but…” Her voice trailed off, and her gaze drifted to the floor.

“I know. ‘S been busy, I guess.”

“You really care about her, huh?” Taken aback, Guzma’s head perked up off the wall and quickly turned towards Plumeria. However, she refused to look at him and instead continued staring intently at the ground.

“What?”

“I know you’ve been staying at her place,” she mumbled, tucking her knees to her chest, “and I’ve seen the way you look at her when you’re battling. It’s like she means the world to you. Not to mention the fact that you sprinted the entire way over here to come see her.” She laughed, albeit a bit dejectedly. “I’ve never seen you run that fast _ever,_ Guz.”

Guzma couldn’t help but laugh a bit too, feeling a burning heat slowly creep up his face. “To be honest, didn’t know I could run that fast, either.”

The pair sat in silence for a moment. Plumeria was right; Izzy was somebody he had come to care for immensely. Perhaps _more_ than just “care for.” He had hardly known her for two weeks now, but quickly realized he didn’t want to think of life without her now. She had been so eager to get to know him and treat him like he wasn’t just some notorious thug, but like he was a person. And--dare he say it--he’d like to think that she cared about him, too.

“Tell me about her.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t stutter,” she deadpanned back. “Tell me about her.”

Guzma froze. What was he supposed to say? What _wasn’t_ he supposed to say? He felt like he could talk about Izzy for hours. He didn’t even really know where to start.

“Just start from the beginning, Guz,” Plumeria said, as if reading his mind again. He scoffed; she had always been able to read him like a book.

“Well… uh… she’s…” his voice quickly trailed off. There were countless words he could use to finish that statement: amazing, incredible, fearless, strong, sassy, and countless others. Instead he opted for, “...interesting.”

And then the words just started flowing from him. He told Plumeria _everything,_ from her offering a place to stay all the way to her previous encounters with Team Rocket. Plumeria got a kick out hearing about Izzy slapping him in the face (“Holy shit, Guz! That’s something you don’t hear everyday.”) and comforted him when he brought up his past relationship with his father. But most importantly, she _listened,_ and Guzma was grateful.

When Guzma finally ran out of stories to tell Plumeria, he sat back in silence. Plumeria soon followed suit, her head resting against the wall behind her. She timidly placed her hand on his thigh and gave it a quick squeeze.

“I’m happy for you, Guz.”

“Whaddaya mean?”

“I think… you found your person.” She looked straight ahead, the corners of her mouth just slightly turned up into a hint of a grin. Her eyes, however, seemed to be slowly welling up with tears. “I was… hoping to be that person, but it seems as though that’s not the case.”

Guzma felt his heart stop for a moment. _Fuck, Plumes._ He had no idea she had felt that way, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt his best friend. “Plumes…”

“It’s okay, Guz. Like I said, I’m happy for you.”

The door next to them suddenly swung open, and Kukui bolted out of it, his head swiveling around until he saw Guzma. “Cousin! It’s Izzy! Hurry!” Guzma perked up instantly, but stopped himself to turn to Plumeria, silently asking if she was okay with him leaving.

“Go see her,” she said with a forced smile, a tear slowly running down her face. Guzma nodded and took off running behind Kukui.

Plumeria buried her face in her hands and cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :))


	9. Dizzy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi my life is in shambles because of COVID-19 :)) please be safe, everybody!

“Any good news?” Guzma asked, eagerly trailing behind Kukui.

“I think you’ll want to see for yourself!”

The pair dipped through a few hallways until they stood in front of room 307. The area seemed significantly less chaotic than before, and Guzma allowed himself a brief moment of relief. They stopped in front of the doorway, and Kukui clapped Guzma on the back, gesturing for him to walk inside.

Hesitantly, he walked into the room. Nurse Joy was standing at the foot of the bed scribbling something onto the clipboard, her trusty audino humming happily next to her. Noticing the new face in the room, she looked up from her work and smiled.

“You made it over! Good, I’ll give you two some privacy for a moment, but I’ll be back shortly.” She quickly scooted by Guzma through the doorway and left, throwing a smirk over her shoulder as she left.

“Hey, bug boy,” a frail voice croaked from the bed. It sounded absolutely nothing like Izzy’s voice, but there was no denying that it came from her mouth. Her pale skin had dozens of tubes and wires sticking out, and her hair was oily and plastered to her head. Dark, prominent bags were nestled under her bloodshot eyes. Guzma was certain she was smirking at him, but the oxygen mask blocked his view of it.

She was alive. She was conscious. She was beautiful.

Under normal circumstances, Guzma would have retorted with some playful, sarcastic remark. But in the moment, words failed him. He was completely frozen, dumbstruck by the fact that Izzy was there, breathing, _alive._

“Guz, c’mon,” she said, hoping for some kind of response.

While his words failed him, his body didn’t. He walked towards her slowly, quietly, as if she were a wild Pokemon that would dart away if he were too loud. Each footstep was delicate, tentative, as he made his way to her side. She watched him in silence as if the two were caught in some sort of sacred ritual that neither of them intended on disrupting. Once beside her, Guzma reached his trembling hand cautiously towards her face and gently caressed her cheek, feeling the coolness of her skin against his palm.

“You’re alive.” The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, and Izzy chuckled softly.

“Of course I am, you dork.” Her voice was raspy, but Guzma could still hear the traces of her signature sass in it. “Couldn’t leave you alone in the tournament, now, could I?”

Guzma laughed, a ridiculous grin plastered on his face as he felt tears trailing down his cheeks. Izzy responded with a mixture of laughter and coughs as well, beaming at the man beside her. Yes, the attack certainly had her looking worse for wear, but she was still the old Izzy he knew.

Before he could stop himself, he threw his arms around her in a hug, careful to avoid any sore or injured spots. She returned the gesture, wrapping her arms as best she could around him. They remained like that for a moment; He felt her chest press against his softly as she drew in a few shaky breaths. Guzma silently cherished every bit of contact he felt, still processing the fact that he had almost lost her, lost this--whatever _this_ was. 

And an immense relief rushed over him. He had come so close to losing her, yet here she was now, safe in his arms once again. He began crying harder, his body trembling against hers as he pulled her even closer.

“I thought...”

“I’m here.”

“I'm so sorry. I should have listened to Gladion--”

She grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back far enough to make eye contact with him. “This isn’t your fault, Guzma. Don’t think for a second that it is.” She pulled him back against her, and he eagerly complied, returning his head to the crook of her neck.

“Izzy!” Hau suddenly came barreling through the door, followed by Gladion. “You’re okay!” Guzma pulled away from Izzy quickly, a blush creeping onto his face as he spastically wiped away the tears on his face. Thankfully, Hau and Gladion both didn’t pay him any attention and were instead focused entirely on Izzy.

“There’s my sunshine boy,” she hummed, grinning. Hau practically tackled her, tears spewing from his eye in a cartoon-like manner. “And Gladion! I guess I’ll need a nickname for you, too. How about my emo child?”

Gladion scoffed, a grin plastered across his face as he stood with his arms crossing his chest. “Think I’ll pass, thanks.”

The room was filled with a joyous energy as everyone celebrated Izzy’s remarkable recovery. Kukui and Hala eventually joined the group as well, both of them ecstatic to see her alive--perhaps not in the best condition, but alive nevertheless. For a moment, all was well with the world, and Guzma reveled in it.

The celebration was halted by a few knocks on the door. Nurse Joy reentered, this time without her fellow Pokemon. She looked exhausted with her eyes bloodshot and posture faltering from its typical upright position--but she still had a smile on her face.

“Oh, don’t let me ruin all the fun,” she grinned, giving Kukui a clap on the back. “It’s damn near a miracle she’s still alive, so this absolutely calls for a celebration!”

“Melissa Joy, thank you so much for coming out here,” Kukui remarked, grabbing her hand with both of his and giving it a hearty shake. “Izzy’s recovery is all thanks to you.”

“Oh, nonsense! My Pokemon did most of the work--” she turned to rest of the group, beaming-- “they’re knocked out cold in the other room and will probably sleep straight through the next three days!”

“Well, give your team our thanks as well!”

The smile on Nurse Joy’s face faltered for just a moment. She looked up at Izzy, her eyebrows pinched together in concern. “To be quite honest, I didn’t think you were going to make it. I’ve never even seen a case like this before--most Toxicroak attacks end in almost immediate death. But you,” she stepped closer to Izzy, a smile on her face once more, “are quite the fighter, honey! You looked death in the eye and laughed at its face!” Nurse Joy posed triumphantly, and Izzy chuckled softly.

“Couldn’t go out that easily.”

“Well, we aren’t entirely out of the woods yet,” Nurse Joy responded. “We are past the point of death being a concern, but now we need to wait and see how your body recovers from everything and determine if there will be any permanent or long lasting effects.”

“Like what?” Hau chimed in, his tone timid and concerned.

“Well, Toxicroak venom affects a variety of things in humans. It can alter red blood cells, cause muscular decay, make the heart swell up, and plenty of other things that could cause trouble,” Nurse Joy said nonchalantly as Hau’s face became increasingly tinted green. “Because Izzy’s body had to handle so much venom at once, many of her typical body systems were damaged by these effects. If the damage is so bad that it doesn’t heal properly, then we will have to take note of that and accommodate her in some kind of way. Does that make sense?”

“Y-yes ma’am,” Hau mumbled, his face a sickly green.

“Good. Now, do you know the best way to recover from injuries?” She gave Hau a dramatically inquisitive look.

“Um… hydrating?”

Nurse Joy let out a hearty laugh. “Close, but not quite. _Rest_ is the best recovery tool, and I think it’s about time we all got some sleep and let Izzy do the same.”

With that, everyone bid each other goodnight and left the room--except for Guzma. He stayed behind, standing in the doorway looking at the frail girl laying in the bed before him. She was obviously starting to drift back to sleep, but seemed to be fighting the urge, desperately trying to keep her eyes open.

“Iz? You okay?”

“Okay as I can be,” she responded wearily.

“Do you want me to let you sleep?” A brief silence passed, and Guzma was secretly hoping she’d ask him to stay behind.

“Um… I’d rather have you stay here.” Her voice shook slightly, as if she were embarrassed to say such a thing. “If you don’t mind.”

“Course I don’t.” He turned off the light, pulled up a chair next to her bed and sat down in it beside her. “I’ll stay here as long as ya want. But you _have_ to get some rest.”

“Yeah, doctor’s orders, I guess.” She turned her head towards Guzma, her eyes still fighting the urge to close. “Just… don’t want to sleep right now.”

“Why not?”

“I…” Her voice trailed off. Guzma felt his chest tighten up; he knew exactly why she didn’t want to sleep.

“Scared?”

Her eyes met his. “Terrified.”

“Look,” he said, placing his hand on top of hers, “I’m here. I won’t let anythin’ happen, okay?” Guzma could make out a soft smile underneath her oxygen mask, and he felt the tightness in his chest slowly dissipate.

“I know.”

“Then get some sleep, Iz.”

As if on command, Izzy’s eyes finally succumbed to their desire to rest, and she was out like a light. Guzma smiled softly; she looked at peace. He ran his hand through her hair, not caring how greasy it was from the day. Her chest slowly moved up and down with her shaky breaths, and her body twitched occasionally in her sleep. The rest of her body was only covered by a hospital gown, which seemed to poke upwards in a few precarious locations--two, to be exact, right on her chest. Guzma chuckled to himself; poor girl must have been cold. He stood up and looked around the room, finding a blanket stored away in a nearby cabinet. Gently, he threw the blanket over her, careful to avoid her side where he knew the injuries were. She stirred slightly, but then relaxed, appearing to be in a deeper sleep than before.

He sat back down in the chair, content with his work, and allowed himself to fall asleep next to her, his hand still resting on hers.

\---

Izzy and Guzma were rudely awakened from their slumber by a well-rested Nurse Joy, who seemed to have miraculously recovered from her exhausted state the night before. Although she was a bit agitated by the fact Guzma had stayed the night in the room, she wasn’t able to stay mad for long considering that Izzy was already looking significantly better than before. Not only was the color returning to her face, but the bags under her eyes seemed a bit less prominent than usual. Plus, she had been clear from any additional symptoms so far that would suggest permanent damage--Nurse Joy was beside herself in awe of such an occasion.

After a heated discussion and Izzy’s pleas, Nurse Joy finally decided to allow Guzma to stay with Izzy in room 307 so long as he stayed out of the way of tests and whatnot (“But if ANYBODY tells you to leave, you HAVE to listen!”). However, while Guzma was hoping for a moment or so of privacy with Izzy, he would have no such luxury; the entirety of the day was spent with Izzy participating in a barrage of various tests. Irritated, Guzma sat aside less-than-patiently as Izzy was poked and prodded with nearly every tool the hospital had to offer.

On the bright side, Izzy was looking particularly healthy; her organs were almost back at full capacity, her red blood cell count was back up and the cell shape was back to normal, and any fears of muscular damage had been quelled. The only issue left was getting back her sense of balance, and that seemed like it would be quite the issue for Izzy--the poor girl nearly fell over anytime she stood for more than ten seconds. Although Guzma was worried over her inability to stand on her own, a small part of him was enjoying the fact that he had a reason to catch her every once in a while--though he’d never admit it.

Finally, the tests winded down for the day, and the prognosis was clear; Izzy would have to spend the next week in the hospital--perhaps even longer if the dizziness didn’t settle down. She’d have physical therapy once a day and have to spend the rest of her time resting and recovering. Izzy was less than thrilled; she was ready to leave the hospital and get back to the action of the Blitz even if her poor, exhausted body was begging her not to. Nevertheless, she begrudgingly agreed to follow Nurse Joy’s treatment plan--as if she had a choice.

After Nurse Joy left the hospital and took back off towards Kanto, Izzy and Guzma were finally left alone in room 209--Izzy had been taken out of the ICU and placed in a normal room where she was to reside until clearance. Having not eaten since breakfast and skipping lunch, the pair were starving. While Izzy insisted on just ordering from the cafeteria, Guzma instead left the hospital and returned with two large bags filled with a variety of take-out meals from the local ramen shop. Izzy chastised him from sneaking in food, but was betrayed by her growling stomach which eagerly thanked Guzma.

Initially, Guzma had thought he had purchased too much food, but was pleasantly surprised when Izzy licked every single dish clean. She laid contentedly on her bed, her hand patting her food-filled belly--Guzma couldn’t help but laugh.

“Laughing at my food baby?” Izzy asked, a smirk across her face.

“Course I am. You thought of any names for it yet?”

Izzy looked down at her stomach, placing both hands on it in a dramatic fashion. “I was thinking Rosemary, or maybe Peaches. It’s due in about eight hours.” Guzma leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he belted out a deep, genuine laugh.

As their laughter subsided, a strange silence fell between the pair. It was an uncertain silence; Guzma had been wanting a chance to talk with Izzy all day, but now that the moment presented itself, he suddenly found himself unable to say anything.

“Hey, Guz,” Izzy began, attempting to hoist herself out of bed, “I think I’m going to take a shower. Still feel pretty gross from everything.”

“Wait, shouldn’t we get you some help? You can hardly stand on your own.”

“Oh, I’ll be fine.” She swung her feet over the edge of the bed and cautiously stood up, clinging to the side of the bed frame. “They’ve got handrails and a chair in the shower, right? I just need you to help me over there.”

Guzma nodded and rushed to her side. He threw one of her arms around his neck, propped her up against his side, and carefully guided her to the bathroom. Her first few steps went without any issues, but just before they reached the door she swayed to her side. Thankfully, Guzma had a solid hold on her and quickly readjusted her weight, pausing to make sure she could hold herself upright again.

“You sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yeah.” She tried to sound confident, but her voice quickly betrayed her. Guzma frowned.

_There’s no way she’s gonna be able to bathe herself. Maybe…_

“Do you… Want help?”

“W-w-what?!” Her face went beet red, and she jumped so wildly that Guzma almost lost his hold on her.

_Nice one, ya fuckin’ idiot._

“I-I mean, uh, w-well, you just--”

“No! I don’t want your help _showering!”_

She pried herself out of his grasp and quickly wobbled her way into the restroom, slamming the door behind her. A string of swears tumbled out of Guzma’s mouth as he mentally berated himself for acting so immaturely. He turned to make his way back to his chair, but was stopped by a loud _THUD!_ that came from the restroom, followed by Izzy cursing loudly.

“Iz? You okay in there?” Guzma asked, rushing to the door. He waited a moment, but when he didn’t get a response, he placed his hand on the doorknob and slowly opened the door.

Izzy was on the ground, propping herself up on her hands and knees. Her hair was draped over her face, and her hospital gown had become loose. The strings that were meant to hold the back of it together had become untied, and the gown was falling off her body ever-so-slowly, revealing the neat, gentle curve of her back and the dark blue color of her panties--

 _“GUZMA!”_ She hissed at him, throwing him a sharp look over her shoulder.

In response, he quickly threw one hand over his eyes. “I’m not looking! Just let me help you!”

She grumbled incoherently, as if debating with herself, before spitting out a defeated “Fine! But don’t look!”

Keeping his word, Guzma kept his eyes closed, awkwardly got on the ground and crawled towards Izzy. When he reached her, he reached his hands out towards where he believed her shoulders were. Instead, he was met with a warm, soft fleshy part of her body, and Guzma felt his face growing heated--it had become obvious that she had ultimately abandoned the hospital gown. She grumbled under her breath and guided his hands to what were _actually_ her shoulders, and he gently helped her back to her feet. After establishing her balance back on her feet, Guzma threw her arm over his neck once again and provided a stable base for Izzy to lean on as she told him where to take him. He secretly swooned inside, feeling Izzy’s bare skin burning into him as he held her mostly naked body against him.

“Okay, I’m good. The chair’s right there,” Izzy mumbled, once again prying herself from Guzma’s grip and wobbling forward. Guzma remained still, eyes closed, feeling a strangely intoxicating tingling sensation along his body where Izzy had once been.

“O-oh. Good. Ya need anything else?”

“Yeah, for you to leave.”

“R-right. I’ll just…” He turned around clumsily, his eyes still squinched shut, and awkwardly shuffled in the direction he thought the door was.

\---

After waiting almost an hour, Izzy finally summoned Guzma for help back to the bed again. Finally out of her hospital gown, she was adorned in a loose pair of pajama pants and an oversized t-shirt that Kukui had brought over for her to wear. Guzma eagerly helped her over to the bed, making sure to be careful with her side. Izzy hissed in pain as she laid down.

“Accidentally got water in my stitches, I guess,” she grumbled as she shuffled to get more comfortable. “Thought I had avoided it.”

“Sorry. That sucks.”

Once Izzy was settled in, Guzma pulled up his chair next to her bed and sat in it, leaning back. He looked at his phone; it read 9:50. He sighed to himself; the day had gone by so quickly, and he still hadn’t had a chance to chat with Izzy.

He felt a sudden knot in his stomach. What was he supposed to say to her? Was he supposed to ask how she was feeling? Ask if she knew Liam from before? If she remembered everything that had happened?

_“I think… you found your person.”_

Plumeria’s words echoed in Guzma’s head. Part of him believed her; if there was anybody in the world who was _his_ person, it was Izzy. He had almost lost her, and felt an enormous relief now that she was safe with him. He wanted nothing more than to hold her close and never let go, to never let anything or anyone hurt her again.

And then there was still the immense guilt that was slowly suffocating him. Regardless of what she had said, he still felt like this whole thing was his fault. Had he listened to Gladion, had he just fucking _paid attention_ \--

“Excuse me,” a deep voice said as the door to the room creaked open. A pale man with black, jutted hair and a brown trench coat slowly slid into the room, checking over his shoulder as he shut the door. Guzma tensed up, standing as he faced the man. “Is Isabel in here?”

“Ah, Looker. Long time, no see!” Izzy chimed, giving Looker a cheerful smile. Guzma felt the tension dissipate in his body; obviously Izzy felt comfortable with the man. “What brings you here?”

The man--Looker--offered her a sad smile. “I’m sure you are well aware of why I’m here, Isabel. If not, you can very well deduce it.” 

“Guzma, this is Looker. He works for the international police. Met him back in Kanto.” With Izzy’s introduction, Looker offered his hand. Hesitantly, Guzma took it and gave it a quick, firm shake. “And Looker, I’m guessing you’re in Alola because of the reported Team Rocket activity?”

“Correct.”

“But why are you here in my room?” Izzy asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Well,” Looker sighed, pulling a second chair off the wall and moving it towards Izzy’s bed. “We’ve captured and interrogated the man who attacked you. He’s an associate of Team Rocket.”

Izzy’s face lost all color and her eye grew wide with fear--Guzma could see herself reverting to the panic-ridden woman she was when she first heard of Team Rocket’s presence in Alola. He quickly reached out and placed his hand on hers, giving it a soft squeeze to remind her of the promise he made to her.

“N-no… You’re not serious, right?” Izzy stammered, her voice failing her.

“Completely serious. I wish it weren’t true.”

The room was suddenly filled with silence. Izzy stared ahead, her eyes wide and unflinching. Looker shifted in his seat, leaning forward with his elbows propped up on his knees. Guzma could sense a vast history between the two, one that was riddled with joyless adventures. Guzma felt oddly distant from Izzy in that moment; he realized there was so much he still didn’t know about her.

“Was it an attack from…”

“We don’t know yet,” Looker responded. “Isabel… I need to ask you some questions.” He threw a sharp look at Guzma, his expression unreadable. “In private.”

“No,” Izzy interjected much to Looker’s surprise. “If you want to discuss anything with me, I want him to hear it.” She looked over at Guzma, her eyebrows furrowed. “He deserves to know.”

Looker was obviously not a fan of the idea, but he leaned back and let out a defeated sigh. “Then so be it. Do you know who would have a vendetta against you?”

“You already know the answer to that.”

Looker pulled out a small audio recording device. “I know. But I need you to say it on record.” He pressed a button on the device; it beeped and a red light on the side began glowing softly. “Now please. Do you know who would have a vendetta against you?”

Izzy let out a shaky breath. Looking down anxiously at her legs, a name left her lips, and Guzma felt his blood run cold.

“Giovanni.”

“Isabel,” Looker sighed, shaking his head. He knew the grief Izzy had already endured and he never wanted to make her relive it, but he needed an official account of everything that had happened two years ago. “Tell me everything that happened between you and Team Rocket.”

Her body became rigid, and Guzma swore she had stopped breathing for a moment. The entire room went silent except for the soft noises of the medical machinery around Izzy. Her eyes looked up and bore into Guzma.

“They almost killed me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't lie, I'm really excited to get into the next chapter!!


	10. The Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW THIS CHAPTER WAS A BITCH TO WRITE. Sorry for the delay!! I just pulled an all-nighter to finish this bitch and have not proof-read it at all!!! It is also my longest chapter yet!!! I'll probably proof it later this week when I have time :) online classes are killing my soul rn :))
> 
> Hope everybody is staying safe and clean! Love you all <3

The Indigo Plateau, 7 years ago...

The President of the Viridian School of Pokemon stood at the podium, beaming over the sea of young teenagers that sat before him. The fountain which stood at the entrance to the Pokemon League spewed beautifully behind the stage, and the sky was blue and clear--it was the perfect setting for Izzy’s graduation. The Viridian School of Pokemon--or VSP for short--held the highest reputation for producing some of Kanto’s finest Pokemon professors, trainers, and rangers, and today it was preparing to unleash its 42nd class into the wild world of Pokemon.

Izzy quivered excitedly; the beginning of the biggest journey of her life stood just before her. Red sat to her right, his graduation cap on perfectly straight as he listened intently to every word that fell from the President’s mouth, as if each one were a precious pearl of wisdom that would make or break his entire career. Blue, on the other hand, sat to her left, and was slouched back casually in his chair playing a game on his phone, his graduation cap and gown astrew. Izzy chuckled to herself; just as their names suggested, Red and Blue were, as usual, complete opposites of each other.

Izzy had known Red and Blue essentially her entire life. They had all lived in Pallet Town together and grown up playing in Professor Oak’s lab. When the time came for the three to transition from primary school to secondary school, they all immediately decided to enroll in VSP, each with the goal of becoming Kanto’s next champion. Every morning for school, they’d trek together to Viridian City and had done so for seven years now.

“Class 42, please rise!” The president’s voice boomed over the crowd, and every student stood up. “Move your tassels to the left side of your caps!” A subtle wave of movement could be seen as the students did so, a small buzz of excited laughter bubbling up. “By the power vested in me by the board of trustees, I hereby confer the Viridian School of Pokemon Diploma with all of the rights, honors, and responsibilities pertaining thereto. Please welcome our newest graduates to the world that awaits them!”

The students whooped and hollered as they threw their caps into the air. The trio did so as well, each grinning ear to ear. 

\---

The crowd had eventually left, and all who remained were Izzy, Red, Blue, and a small smattering of adults who were tidying up after the ceremony. Although the caps and gowns had been discarded by this time, Red and Blue were still clad in their clean-cut suits, and Izzy’s dress still clung softly against her body.

“Can’t believe we’re finally outta there!” Blue said, tossing an empty Pokeball in his hand. “Took long enough, yeah?”

“Way too long,” Izzy said with a smile, holding an empty Pokeball of her own. “And Red, why did you want us to bring a Pokeball with us? Already catching a new partner?”

“No, not that.” He pulled out his own Pokeball and smiled at it; it glistened dully in the sunlight. “It’s for a tradition that I read about. A promise of sorts.”

“And since when are you a man of traditions?” Blue smirked, nudging Red with his elbow. He chuckled softly in response.

“I know, I know. It’s cheesy. But I thought it would be cool.”

“Well, what is it?” Izzy asked earnestly, a grin slowly making its way onto her face.

“So it’s tradition that anyone who wants to take on the Indigo Pokemon League one day should toss a Pokeball into the fountain! It signifies the start of their journey as well as the promise that they’ll return one day.” Red’s grip on his Pokeball tightened as he looked intently into the fountain. “I think we should all throw ours in together.”

Red looked over at the other two, then bashfully turned away. Noticing his sudden embarrassment, Blue threw his arm over Red’s shoulders and ruffled his hair. “Well I think it sounds like a great idea. How about you, Iz?”

“Couldn’t agree more.”

With a nod from Red, the three primed the Pokeballs and faced the fountain.

“On the count of three!” Red said, any hint of his previous apprehensions now long gone. “One…”

Izzy looked at the ball in her hands. It, too, glistened. She smiled.

“Two…”

The trio wound up for the throw, each throwing a quick glance at the others.

“Three!”

Three Pokeballs flew through the air and landed in the fountain with a satisfactory splash.

“Ah. Beginning your run at the gym circuit, I presume?” A deep, smooth voice cooed from behind them. Izzy spun around, surprised that someone had been there the whole time. Blue and Red did the same, looks of bewilderment across their faces.

A man with the coy eyes of an Arbok stood in front of them, the hint of a smirk plastered on his face. He seemed older and wore a perfectly tailored suit which clung tightly to his pale skin. A crimson “R” insignia resided neatly on his right chest.

“Sorry, who are you?” Izzy managed to spit out.

“You’ll find out soon enough, dear child. Until then.” He turned on his heel and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the silence of his departure.

\---

Pewter City, 6.5 years ago...

As a reward for being in the top ten percent of her graduating class, Izzy received a traditional starter Pokemon of her choice. While she had always intended on getting a Charizard, a tiny little runt of a Bulbasaur won her over in the last second with its goddamned adorable eyes. On the bright side, her having a grass type Pokemon would help her breeze by the first two gyms.

Or so she had thought.

While Red and Blue had beaten Brock--the Pewter City Gym Leader--on their first attempt, Izzy’s Bulbasaur froze up when battling in an actual stadium for the first time. Yes, she had graduated third in her class and knew all the ins-and-outs of battling, but a Bulbasaur with stage fright? No, that wasn’t something that the Viridian School of Pokemon prepared her for.

So, when Izzy was _finally_ able to pick up Bulbasaur’s self-confidence and defeat Brock, she was ecstatic. It took her _six god-damned months_ to convince that green little fucker it was up for the challenge, and she was more than relieved to be somewhat back on track despite the fact that Red and Blue were so far ahead of her. Catching up to them could wait--today was a day to celebrate.

However, Pewter City is a quaint, traditional town, so Izzy and her Bulbasaur’s “celebration” wasn’t anything wild or extravagant, but rather a simple visit to Pewter’s Museum of Science. The Museum building was large yet humble; it was nestled in the northern end of the city with a single sign at the front that read “MUSEUM OF SCIENCE” and a small smattering of flowers that bordered its front walls. Bulbasaur looked at Izzy and hummed happily, excited for their museum visit.

However, when they entered the museum, they were met by the receptionist, who was cowering in fear behind the counter. The other museum visitors were on the ground with their hands on their heads. Izzy looked around frantically but couldn’t find the source of their fears.

“You’re a trainer, right?” The woman behind the counter looked over at Izzy, her eyes wide and her voice shaking. “Please, help--”

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” A voice sneered from across the room. “Some kid who wants to play hero?”

Suddenly, three people--two men and one woman--appeared from behind an exhibit and began creeping towards her, all clad in similar black uniforms that each had a crimson R plastered across their chests. The tallest one was the man who had spoken; he had a long, narrow, and pointed face and a flash of bright blue hair covered by a black flat cap. His two companions stood on either side of him, grinning wickedly in Izzy’s direction.

“What’ll it be, princess? You gonna take on Team Rocket or bow down like the rest of these cowards?”

 _Team Rocket._ She had heard about them in the news. They were some notorious gang that had recently been wreaking havoc across the region. They were often cruel and participated in a variety of vile activities, from the mass poaching and killing of Pokemon for profit, armed robberies, theft, and on some occassions, murder. She could see now why everyone was cowering in fear of these three; they had quite a reputation.

Before Izzy had a chance to respond, Bulbasaur leaped forward and growled at the trio of criminals, two vines protruding from its bulb ready to strike. The museum visitors gasped and began egging on the tiny creature. Izzy shook her head. _Oh, NOW you want to be big and brave, you idiot?!_

“Ha! Well then, let’s see what you’ve got, kid!” The man held two Pokeballs in his hand and released a Golbat and a Beedrill. The pair buzzed angrily in the air and took direct aim at Bulbasaur. “Both of you! Gust!”

A suddenly flurry of wind whipped up in the building causing the patrons to cry out. Bulbasaur dug its vines into the ground to hold on, but cried out as it took the brunt of the attack. Izzy knelt down to lower her center of gravity and swallowed hard; she was at a _huge_ type disadvantage and was most likely outclassed in strength as well. If she wanted to win this battle, it would have to be on some kind of crazy strategy.

_C’mon, Izzy! Think!_

“C’mon, princess! It’s no fun if you don’t struggle!” The man coed, his companions snickering in response. “We’ll just keep flying circles around you!”

_Wait, that’s it! Most of their power comes from their ability to fly! If we can stifle that, then we’ve got a chance!_

“Bulbasaur! Use Razor Leaf there!” Izzy yelled, pointing up. Bulbasaur nodded, and with a roar, he released a large, bladed leaf that spun viciously in the direction of the flying Pokemon. Golbat and Beedrill dodged it easily, and it hit the ceiling with a resounding _BOOM!_

“Your aim’s a bit off, ya stupid lettuce!” The man cackled. “Is that the best you’ve got?”

“Actually, his aim was perfect,” Izzy remarked with a smirk on her face. Confused, the man looked up and saw the extravagant light fixture hanging overhead. It was slowly slipping down from its base until it finally detached and came careening down, crashing directly on top of Golbat and Beedrill. As the dust settled from the crash, it became obvious that the two Pokemon were completely trapped underneath the fixture; they were unable to battle.

“Why, you little--”

“Oh, shut it. Bulbasaur, use Vine-Whip to hold these guys here captive until we get the police here.” With another nod, Bulbasaur’s vines quickly wrapped around the trio of criminals and constricted them together. Realizing that the danger Team Rocket posed had been quelled, the patrons slowly began rising and clapping for Izzy.

\---

“Look, we’re grateful that you saved the day,” the police officer droned on, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance, “but next time leave the crime fighting to us, kid. You could have gotten hurt back there. Team Rocket isn’t some kind of joke!”

“You didn’t show for another _ten minutes_ after I stopped them!” Izzy was red in the face; she was done being chastised for doing the right thing. “Who knows what could have happened in that time if I hadn’t done anything!”

“Listen, you little--”

“That will be enough, officer,” a voice called from behind. Izzy spun around and saw Professor Oak along with Red and Blue, who were now walking towards her. “I believe you’ve gotten your point across.” With a grumble, the officer marched off.

“Professor, I--”

“You did the right thing, and you saved not only those people, but the whole of the Museum of Science. Team Rocket was trying to steal the valuable fossils and stones in there to use for their own purposes.” He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a soft smile.

“We’ve had some run-ins with that group along the way, too,” Blue stated, a look of deep concern across his face. “They seem to have most of Kanto shaking in their boots.”

“Which is why I wanted to talk to you three about something,” Professor Oak remarked, earning the interest of the three trainers.

“What is it, Professor?” Red asked.

“You three have each proven to be able to hold your own against these fiends. I know they are plotting something that could put the entirety of Kanto in danger.” He looked down for a moment, as if wondering whether or not he should continue.

“You want us to help you stop them, right?” Blue stated bluntly, his signature smirk smacked onto his face.

“Yes. I know you are still kids right now, but you are all very strong trainers, and I know without a doubt that your gym challenge will only make you stronger.”

“We’ll do it,” Izzy spat out before she could stop herself. “If we’re the only ones who are strong enough to do it, then we _have_ to. Right?”

\---

Celadon City, 5 years ago...

_He’s fucking insane._

It had been over a year since Izzy had promised to take on Team Rocket with Red and Blue. Seventeen and fearless--now with four gym badges to back up her reputation--she had stormed the Game Corner by herself after discovering it was Team Rocket’s hideout. Despite the all winding hallways and mazes to ward off any unwanted visitors, Izzy had made it to Giovanni’s office in record time and thwarted any grunt who had stood in her way with ease.

When she entered his office, she recognized him immediately from her graduation. His Arbok eyes narrowed at her menacingly, and his hair was perfectly greased back, not a single strand out of place. But Izzy noticed something new; there was an immense, suffocating pressure that was radiating off him. It was enough to knock her confidence down a peg, but she brushed off her weariness and stood defiantly in front of him.

“Let that Cubone go. You’ve already scarred it enough for a lifetime.”

“Oh, so that’s what this is about?” The right side of his mouth turned up slightly in a wicked smirk. “You’re telling me you broke into my hideout--took out some of my best agents in the process--and dared to enter my office for _this?”_ He turned to the Pokemon who was cowering in the corner. “This weak, pathetic little creature?”

“He’s not weak or pathetic!” Izzy spat in defiance. “Give me that Cubone!”

Giovanni laughed, his deep voice sending a chill down her spine. “I knew when I first saw you that you could be an asset to Team Rocket. Fiery. I like it. However,” Giovanni paused and his expression immediately changed, his face falling flat and his eye narrowing dangerously on Izzy once again. “I do _not_ like meddling children, especially those who don’t know their _place!”_ With his final word, his voice rose and shook the whole room as he slammed his fist on his desk. Izzy felt her heart stop. “For that… I’ll have to teach you a lesson.”

He suddenly released a Persian from a Pokeball; Izzy reacted by releasing her Venusaur. The battle was on.

It had raged on for an eternity. The office was in complete shambles; the wall paper torn, the floor was riddled with holes and cracks, even Giovanni’s desk saw no mercy as it was destroyed and redistributed about the room. The cool, calm, and collected persona that Giovanni had when Izzy first met him was long gone and replaced with a feverish, frenzied man who was hell-bent on victory. _He’s fucking insane!_

Persian matched its trainer’s intensity and tore at Venusaur relentlessly; however, Venusaur was unwavering in its mission. Throughout the battle, Venusaur and Persian had gone hit for hit. Persian certainly outclassed its opponent in speed which made it difficult to successfully attack, but Venusaur’s defensive tactics had made it nearly impossible for Giovanni to land any sufficient hits.

Despite her quick feet and calculating eye, Izzy couldn’t find a single means of overcoming her opponent. She didn’t dare use any reckless moves such as Solar Beam in fear of collapsing the building on them and found herself limited due to their environment. It was destined to be an endurance match--last Pokemon standing wins.

That is, until Giovanni made a disastrous mistake.

“Persian, Bite! Aim for the flower!”

 _What?_ There was no way. It was too easy.

Perhaps he had thought that if he damaged the flower, he had a chance. However, Giovanni gravely underestimated the flower on Venusaur’s back; not only was it durable, but it was prime real estate for a devastating counter.

Following its master’s command, the Persian leapt at the Venusaur and bit into the flower. Already fully aware of what Izzy’s plan would be, Venusaur quickly unleashed a set of vines which coiled around the cat and trapped it against the flower. Giovanni’s eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped; he quickly realized his mistake.

“Petal Blizzard!”

The flower on Venusaur’s back suddenly sprouted open and began glowing with a brilliant light. A flurry of pink began spewing out of it, rapidly whipping around the Persian with an unseen yet devilish gust. The cat cried out in agony as it desperately tried to claw its way out of Venusaur’s hold. Giovanni watched in horror; he knew he had lost.

Once the attack finished, Venusaur released its hold on the Persian; the cat’s unconscious body slumped to the ground and laid motionless until Giovanni returned it to its pokeball.

Giovanni returned the pokeball to his pocket and sighed. The frenzied man disappeared and was replaced by the collected Giovanni she was more familiar with. “I had hoped to see you again. However, this isn’t what I was expecting.” The words curled off his tongue slowly, each one dripping in malice. “Take this and the little vermin. Get out of here.”

He tossed an item at her which she barely managed to catch; the Silph Scope, an invention from the Silph Company that had reportedly gone missing. She looked at the strange contraption; despite its metallic structure, it was surprisingly light and resembled a set of binoculars.

Giovanni quietly grabbed the hat and coat which had been thrown across the floor in all the commotion. As he put on the attire, he stared blankly ahead with his back to Izzy. “If you ever wish to join Team Rocket, the door will always be open. But,” he turned his head just enough for Izzy to see the side of his mouth, “interfere with us again and I won’t be so forgiving.”

The room went pitch black. But after only a moment of darkness, the lights flickered back on. Giovanni was gone.

\---

Izzy rushed back to Lavender Town as quickly as she could, both Cubone and Silph Scope in hand. However, when she arrived at the town, Cubone wriggled free from her grip and sprinted into the Pokemon Tower.

“Izzy!” She spun around to find Red sprinting towards her. “What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten killed!” He tackled her, throwing his arms around her and pulling her close.

“Hey, hey, I’m okay!” She responded with a soft laugh, returning the embrace.

“You should have called me or something--”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I was in a rush to save Cubone. Speaking of which--”

“I saw him run off into the tower. Let’s go after him.”

The pair rushed into the tower, careful to keep an eye out for Cubone while avoiding any overly-eager psychics or woeful trainers on their way. Eventually they made it to the top floor where they found Cubone who was staring intently at a--

“Ghost!” Red hissed as the pair squatted down on the ground to avoid being seen. It was the ghost that had previously kicked the two out last time they visited together. Izzy felt her knees go weak for a moment; she was fearless with most things, but ghosts… weren’t exactly her favorite. 

However, despite the ominous presence in front of it, Cubone stood nonchalantly in front of it. In fact, the creature seemed a bit… happy? Izzy was confused. This little Pokemon who cried if you sneezed too loudly seemed thrilled by the situation it was caught in.

_Bzzzzzzt!_

Izzy jumped; it was the Silph Scope. Curious, she pressed the button on the top of the mechanism, and a white flash of light came out from the front lenses. Izzy and Red winced from the brightness, but once their eyes readjusted, the ghostly figure that had hovered in front of Cubone was gone. Instead, a slightly transparent Marowak stood in front of the poor creature.

“Is that…?” Izzy started, but the words trailed off.

As if to answer her incomplete question, Cubone happily ran towards the Marowak, its arms outstretched as if running for an embrace. Marowak cooed happily as she opened her arms to receive her child. However, the Cubone ran right through her, falling to the ground on the other side.

Izzy felt a sharp pain in her chest. This poor Pokemon. Had it known all along that the strange ghost was it’s mother? She looked over at Red, whose eyes were soft and sad; his shoulders trembled slightly, as if he were holding back tears.

Desperately, the Cubone poked and prodded at his mother’s ghost, but found that he couldn’t make any physical contact with her. She looked on at her son sadly, phantoming her hand just over his head before her spirit began fading. The Cubone began calling out as he tried to grab at her slowly disappearing figure, each cry more frantic than the last.

She faded from existence, and Cubone was left alone once again.

The creature fell to the ground and cried.

Izzy found herself crying as well, frozen in grief. She wanted to go comfort the Pokemon, to hold it and promise it everything would be okay, but knew she’d be lying if she did. Team Rocket had killed its only family, and the poor creature wore the skull of his deceased mother every day. There was nothing she could do to fix that.

“I’ll destroy them.”

Caught off guard, Izzy turned to Red. His face was also streaked from his tears. However, instead of sadness, Izzy could sense an anger boiling up inside her friend. It wasn’t a simple anger, but rather a burning, seething, and unrelenting rage--one that, if properly fed, could topple an entire nation. His jaw was locked and his fists were clenched and subtly trembling. Izzy had never in her life seen Red like this before.

“Red…”

“I’ll destroy them.”

She cautiously placed her hand on his. “Red, please--”

“No!” He quickly swiped his hand out from under hers and stood up. “I’ll fucking destroy them! Even if it kills me, I’ll destroy every last one of them!”

\---

Saffron City, 2 years ago…

Everything had gone wrong.

It was the day after Izzy had gotten her seventh gym badge from Blaine of Cinnabar Island when she got the call from Professor Oak. Team Rocket had taken over the Silph Company building, and the Kanto police unit was having difficulties making any progress with all the Rocket grunts who were guarding the building. The champion at the time was out of the region for business, and the gym leaders who reported for duty were also unable to break through the Rocket line. 

“I told the Kanto Police as well as the International Police about you, Red, and Blue,” Professor Oak had said. “They said they’ll help you however possible. You three are our last hope!”

After putting together her strongest team--her Venusaur, Gyarados, Alakazam, and Arcanine--she had made her way to Saffron City as fast as she could.

Once there, she was quickly united with Red and Blue and debriefed on the situation by Chief Officer Jenny and International Police Agent Looker: at least fifty Team Rocket members had infiltrated the premises with a high possibility of more being inside unaccounted for, and Giovanni was on the top floor holding the president of the company hostage, motivation unknown. Countless other workers were being held hostage as well. Their objective was to safely evacuate the building and capture Team Rocket.

It had been a grueling day with countless battles, low blows, and direct attempts on their lives from Team Rocket, but eventually the trio cleared a majority of the building. All that was left was the final floor with Giovanni.

Izzy’s team was looking worse than she had hoped; the only Pokemon she still had standing was her trusty Venusaur. Red and Blue weren’t any better off, either. Red was left with his Charizard and Machamp, and Blue only had his Pidgeot left.

“Listen, I’ve battled him before,” Izzy had remarked just before they decided to storm the final floor of the building. “He’s incredibly strategic and powerful. I beat him on a complete whim. We have to be--”

“You really think we’re gonna let you brats interrupt our boss?” A voice prattled from behind them. The trio turned around and were met with a group of four trainers, each boasting a crimson red “R” on their chest along with three small stars embroidered just underneath it on their uniforms.

“The admins,” Red hissed under his breath. Izzy swallowed; she knew they were powerful trainers. A battle with them would delay them even longer from saving the president and possibly let Giovannie get away.

“Leave ‘em to me!” Blue suddenly interjected, his signature grin on his face. “I’ll teach these kids a lesson. You two go stop Giovanni!” Before Izzy could object, Red grabbed her hand and dragged her up the stairs to the next floor. The last thing she saw of Blue was him releasing his remaining three Pokemon against the four admins as they began releasing theirs.

“Red, he doesn’t stand a chance--”

“He will if we end this quickly! Let’s go!”

After tearing up the flight of stairs as fast as they could, they barged into the top floor. It was a surprisingly large room; there was a single conference table in the middle of the floor, and the walls were all glass windows, providing a stunning view of the city below. Across the room was a man in an entirely black suit facing another man who was laying on the ground, curled in a fetal position and holding his side.

“Well, it seems we finally have some visitors!” Giovanni stated, walking towards Red and Izzy. “I knew it was only a matter of time until you got here, but still. Much quicker than anticipated.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pokeball. “Let’s end this quickly for you, shall we?”

With a stomach-turning glint in his eyes, he released a Rhyperior. It growled ferociously, stomping its foot on the ground as it prepared itself for battle; the entire building quaked from its power. Without saying a word, Izzy and Red released their Pokemon, Venusaur and Charizard.

“Oh, is that what you think this is?” Giovanni asked sarcastically. “A Pokemon battle? No, no. Rhyperior is here simply for… insurance.”

“What are you playing at?!” Red yelled out, gritting his teeth.

Giovanni ignored Red, instead turning to Izzy with a sinister smirk. “I told you I wouldn’t be so forgiving this time.”

Izzy felt her heart stop beating. _What does he mean? Is this a trap?_

He continued on. “However, I already have what I need from here, and because I’m feeling _generous,_ I’ll give you three options. Option one: you step aside and allow me to go about my business. I’ll leave without any issues. But,” he pointed to the man on the ground behind him, “Mr. President won’t get the antidote to the poison in his system, and he will die. Option two: you two join Team Rocket, and I’ll cure the president. Last, option three: I’ll put my insurance plan into effect.”

 _Shit._ Izzy could feel her heart pounding out of her chest. She thought that her and Red had had the man cornered, but he had managed to turn the tables on them in an instant. Was the poison a bluff? Would he really stoop so low? And what exactly was his “insurance plan?”

“Red… what do we do?” She turned to Red, who was staring Giovanni dead in the eye.

“We can’t let him win.You know what we have to do.”

Suddenly, Izzy felt a burning determination in her gut. He was right. This was the whole reason they were here--to stop Team Rocket once and for all. She suddenly felt dizzy with confidence. She had beaten him once, and with Red by her side, he didn’t stand a chance.

“We aren’t going to bow down to you, Giovanni! We never will!” Izzy yelled.

The smirk on Giovanni’s face began to fade as he came to terms with the decision the pair had made. He was certain he had finally captured them, broken them, but realized he didn’t have a chance. Shaking his head, he turned and began walking away.

“Such a pity. Then die.” He paused for a moment, casting one final look over his shoulder before turning his back to them once again. “Rhyperior. Earthquake.”

For a moment, the world stopped moving--even Izzy’s heart stopped beating. There was a strange silence in the air that seemed unnatural. However, Izzy’s life didn’t flash before her eyes as she had expected it to when faced with death. No, she wasn’t blessed with joyful images of her childhood with her loving mother, or her countless memories with Red and Blue. She didn’t feel the joy of graduation, or the pride from winning her first gym badge. The overwhelming love she had for her Pokemon. The heated blush of her first kiss with Blue which they vowed to never speak of again. The flutters she felt in her stomach anytime Red grabbed her hand. 

No, Izzy was not blessed with any such thing. Instead, she was cursed with a crippling, unyielding terror. A terror that consumed her soul.

_I don’t want to die._

The Rhyperior roared, shaking Izzy back to reality. With a stomp of its foot, the building began trembling--softly at first, but quickly growing more erratic and violent. The glass windows surrounding them shattered, the shards shooting in all directions. Bits of the ceiling began falling, dusting her with a powder that burned her eyes.

Everything happened before she could stop it. Before they knew it, the floor began to give way from under them. Red looked over at Izzy, his eyes wide but expression surprisingly calm. It was as if he were coming to terms with the death sentence they had been bestowed. As the floor continued to rumble, he grabbed Izzy’s hand and placed a Pokeball in it.

“Red, what are you--”

“Charizard,” Red said, his voice strained as if he knew these would be the last words he spoke. “Save Izzy.”

Tears filled Izzy’s eyes. “Red, no, don’t do this!” She tried to fight the dragon off as it attempted to fulfill its trainer’s command, but when the floor finally gave out from under them, Charizard caught Izzy in midair with its claws and flew away. She let out an agonizing scream, begging the creature to go back as she watched the building crumble on her partners.

In a matter of moments, the building was entirely demolished.

\---

Viridian City, one week after the fall of the Silph Company…

Izzy sat outside the hospital, waiting impatiently. She scratched at the scabs on her arms left behind from Charizard; the small, burning sensation from reopening her wounds was the only thing keeping her sane.

The losses from the fall of Silph Co. were crushing. The president of Silph Co. died along with three of the four Team Rocket administrators and countless other Rocket grunts. The entire building was completely destroyed. Countless civilian injuries had occurred from the destruction.

And Izzy’s Venusaur had died, crushed by debris. When they had found it, it was surrounded by hundreds of wilted petals; it had tried to protect itself, but ultimately failed.

“But look on the bright side!” She heard countless people say. Her, Blue, and Red’s efforts had saved every other scientist and worker in the building, and for that the three were considered heroes. Plus, Giovanni had been captured on his escape and jailed, awaiting trial in Kanto’s Highest Court.

But Izzy didn’t care about any of that. No, she was waiting for something else. Someone else.

“No updates on him yet,” a familiar voice remarked, “but the doctors are saying he’s likely to wake up soon.”

Izzy looked up at the man, who moved to sit next to her. His right arm was in a sling, and the side of his face had a scar that seemed to be almost done healing. It was Blue; he had managed to survive the fall by using Pidgeot to escape as well, but not before having his arm crushed.

“They keep saying that. Do you think they’re just lying to us?”

By some miracle, Red had survived as well--but just barely. At some point during the fall, his Machamp had released itself from its pokeball and sacrificed its body to protect Red; the poor creature was crushed to death in the process. Somehow, Machamp’s sacrifice worked, but Red still suffered countless injuries and wounds. He had been unconscious in the hospital for a week, and was eventually transferred to a Viridian unit to bring him closer to his family.

“C’mon, now. You know they aren’t. He’s probably just being hard-headed like usual,” Blue responded, forcing a smile on his face. Izzy remained silent, turning her focus back to picking her scabs. The smile on Blue’s face fell with ease, and he let off a deep sigh before speaking again. “Don’t blame yourself for this. He wanted to save you.”

Without any warning, Izzy blew up at Blue, standing over him with a crazed look in her eyes. “But why?! Why did he want to save me?! He shouldn’t have! He should have… have….” Her rage quickly subsided and was replaced with grief. She fell to her knees in front of Blue, tears streaming down her face. He leaned over and placed his arm around her, pressing his forehead against hers.

“Because he loves you. That’s why. We do crazy things for the people we love. You know you would have done the same thing for either of us, and I would have done the same thing for either of you. That’s just how this works.”

She began sobbing hysterically, throwing her arms around Blue.

\---  
Three days later…

Izzy found herself trembling. She was excited, of course, but for some reason, completely terrified. Blue, on the other hand, looked happier than a Lillipup that was about to be adopted. It had been two _excruciating_ weeks, but Red was finally awake.

“Now, I should warn you,” the doctor began as he guided the two to Red’s room, “he’s still a bit out of it. He isn’t speaking at all right now, but seems coherent otherwise. He’s been awake for about thirty minutes now, so this is still a very fluid situation.” When they reached Red’s room, the doctor held open the door with a smile. Blue eagerly entered while Izzy followed cautiously behind.

His eyes were sullen, his skin was pale, and his hair was messy and unkempt. But, regardless, it was Red, and he was sitting upright in his bed, looking out the window. Izzy felt her eyes well up with tears. He was alive.

“Red?” Blue asked softly. Red turned to look at where the voice came from; when he saw Blue, his expression remained flat and unchanged. Blue seemed a bit taken aback by Red’s lack or response, but pressed onward. “You’re… alive!”

Red continued looking at Blue but didn’t say a word. However, his expression changed from flat to slightly concerned. Blue’s enthusiasm quickly deflated; it was as if Red didn’t recognize him at all.

“Red, it’s us,” Izzy said, giving things a shot. “Do you remember us?”

Red stared at the two for a moment, as if he were considering whether or not to call for help. There was no recollection in his eyes; the years they had spent in school together, the days they had spent at Professor Oak’s laboratory, the countless adventures they had all gone on together. It was as if they had vanished without a trace. Izzy could feel her chest tighten. She suddenly didn’t want him to answer that question.

He shook his head ever so slightly before pressing the help button on his hospital bed.

Her heart stopped. The doctors had lied to her. Red, her best friend was dead; all that was left of him was this shell of him who treated her as a stranger

Izzy sprinted out of the hospital and never looked back.

\---

“So yeah. That’s what happened,” Izzy stated matter-of-factly. “I couldn’t bear the thought of being in Kanto after everything that happened, so I left as quickly as I could. My mom retired shortly after that and wanted to live out here in Alola, so I followed her. Although you already knew that bit. You even helped me get over here safely, Looker.”

There was a small _click!_ sound that came from Looker’s audio recorder when he turned it off. Guzma let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He knew Izzy had been through some shit, but man. He never could have even imagined.

With a deep sigh, Looker glanced at his watch before rising out of the chair; it was well past midnight. Guzma stood up as well, although he wasn’t quite sure why.

“Well, Isabel, thank you for your statement. I’m sorry to have kept you up so late when you should be resting. I’ll leave you for the evening and give you any updates I have tomorrow. Guzma,” Looker’s focus shifted to the man standing beside him, “may I speak with you for a moment outside?” Before waiting for a response, Looker was already walking out the door.

Guzma met him in the hallway, shutting the door to Izzy’s room behind him. “Whaddaya want?”

Looked ushered Guzma further away from the door to ensure that Izzy wouldn’t hear them before leaning in close to Guzma’s face. He spoke in a quiet yet curt voice. “Now that you know about Izzy’s past, I’m making you in part responsible for protecting her. I’m sure you were already planning on doing that, yes?” Guzma felt his face heat up, but nodded. “Good, now listen. I wasn’t lying when I said the man who attacked Izzy is affiliated with Team Rocket.” Guzma instantly felt his heart drop again; after hearing her history, he had no idea what the Rockets wanted with her. “However, we don’t think this was an attack mediated by Giovanni. We can’t be sure yet, though.

“Now, I know that as a gang leader, you typically don’t want to associate yourself with the police. But this is a very serious, very _dangerous_ matter, okay? Here’s my card.” He quickly slipped Guzma a small sheet of paper which read _Agent Looker, International Police_ followed by a series of printed phone numbers as well as one scrawled in ink. “If you have any concerns or suspicions, call me. That is an order.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Looker spun on his heel and began walking away. Guzma felt a bit dizzy with all the information he had just been given. But more so, he was curious about one thing.

“Hey, Looker!” The detective turned around, taking a few steps closer to Guzma. “Why?”

“Be more specific, Guzma.

Guzma swallowed. “Why… do you trust me?”

For the first time, Guzma saw a genuine smile on Looker’s face. “I’m a detective, Mr. Guzma. People want to protect those they love, and I know love when I see it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed!


	11. Release

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends I am posting this a lil tipsy cause apparently that's the only way I could convince myself to post this :) This chapter is mostly just fluff and happiness. I hope you enjoy!!! And, as usual, this is currently not proofread :)))

It wasn’t often that Guzma was completely dumbfounded. But there he stood in the middle of the hallway, mouth slightly ajar as he kept replaying Looker’s final remark before he left the hospital.

_People want to protect those they love, and I know love when I see it._

“Love” is what Looker had called it. Guzma shook his head--he was sure he wouldn’t know what love was if it hit him square in the face, let alone _how_ to love somebody. Yet Plumeria had hinted at it, too. Sure, there was no denying that he felt _something_ for Izzy. Sure, he adored her--he even had noticed himself secretly stealing glances of her whenever he thought she wouldn’t notice--and yeah, maybe he had become fiercely protective of her over the past few weeks they’ve been together. But love? No, Looker had it wrong.

After convincing himself that Looker had missed the mark, Guzma shuffled quietly back into Izzy’s room. Of course, the poor girl had already fallen asleep, exhausted from the day’s events. Despite her retelling of her past with Team Rocket, she was surprisingly at peace, her face soft and body no longer rigid. Guzma sighed as he slumped into the chair beside Izzy; he knew sleep wouldn’t come for him as easily. How the _fuck_ was he supposed to sleep after hearing about Izzy’s past? It was worse than he could have ever imagined. She had gone toe-to-toe with one of the world’s most infamous criminals and lost _everything._ Her best friend, her Pokemon, and any sense of security she felt back in her home region… gone. Guzma felt his chest tighten; if Plumeria had suddenly completely forgotten him, he didn’t know what he would have done. He could only imagine the pain Izzy went through with Red losing his memory--and yet she recited the whole tale to Looker without batting an eye.

And to think that Red was the friend she had referred to the other night! Guzma had heard tales of him; Kanto’s reigning champion who never spoke a single word, one of the three heroes who took on Team Rocket. He was also supposedly one of the world’s strongest trainers. Guzma would have never guessed he had lost his memory or nearly died at the hands of Team Rocket. You’d figure they’d put that in the news, but no--this was the first he was hearing of any of it.

Guzma pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyebrows scrunched up in deep thought. Still, despite finally knowing Izzy’s tragic past, he still found himself buried in questions. How did Izzy move past the loss of her Venusaur? Had she seen Red or Blue since the fall of Silph Co.? Did Red ever get his memory back? And didn’t Izzy say Giovanni was captured?

How the hell did he manage to escape and get to Alola? Why the fuck was he here?

“No…” Pulled from his thoughts, Guzma glanced up at Izzy. Still asleep, her face was twisted up in fear as she began shifting around under her bed sheets. “Don’t…”

His heart sank. She was in the throes of another nightmare. Despite her lack of expression when giving Looker her account of the events, it was obvious her past still haunted her.

 _“NO!”_ Izzy suddenly shot upright in her bed as she cried out, causing Guzma to jump. Her eyes were wide in fear, and Guzma could see her chest rapidly rising and falling as she gasped for air.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Guzma cooed, leaning forward to place his arms around her. But before he could manage to, she latched on to him, her fingers digging into his back as if he were the only thing keeping her anchored to the world. “It was just a dream. I’m here now.”

The air was filled with her labored breaths as Izzy clung to Guzma. He shifted himself onto the bed next to her and interlaced one of his hands into the hair on the back of her head, pulling her closer. Her breaths slowly became more steady as she settled into him, melting into his embrace. He could feel a subtle dampness forming on his chest where her face was--she was crying.

“I hate this,” she mumbled into his chest. “I was finally okay. I had finally moved on from everything. But he can’t leave me in peace.” She pulled her head back and looked up as Guzma, her eyes glistening. “It took me two years to fucking be okay. And now…” She nuzzled her face back into his chest, a soft whimper escaping her lips.

He had no words to offer her. How he _wished_ he could fix everything. He would do anything to help her, to protect her from here on out. He just wished he knew how.

“Guz.” Her voice was strained, as if she were trying to hold back tears. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Anythin’.”

“... Hold me tonight?”

And in all the misery in the room that night, all the pain and grief and uncertainty, Guzma felt a small, fluttering warmth radiating from his stomach. With a tenderness he didn’t know he was capable of, he lowered her to the bed on her side and shifted around her so her back was against his chest. Their bodies curved against each other perfectly, with her legs ever-so-slightly entangling themselves with his. 

“F’course.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

“Thank you.”

Eventually, Izzy’s breaths became soft snores as she fell asleep. Guzma, on the other hand, was still wide awake. Every so often she would nuzzle herself against him as if she were trying to get more physical contact with him, and the sensation was making him swoon. Guzma smiled to himself as Plumeria’s words came to mind once again.

_I think… you found your person._

Perhaps Looker had been right after all. Maybe, just maybe… this was love. Guzma couldn’t be sure, but there was one thing he knew; he would do anything for Izzy Arnolds.

\---

The following week at the hospital was absolutely grueling. During the days, Izzy would insist on getting out of bed and walking around, only to end up on the ground a few seconds later with a grumpy Guzma chastising her for being so stubborn. On the bright side, her balance was getting better; everyday she was able to stand on her own for a little longer before gravity overtook her.

By some act of grace, the Blitz committee decided to have a partial delay of the tournament for team 52. Any matches that required the pair were postponed until Izzy was cleared from the hospital--and thanks to Nurse Joy and her amazing Pokemon, that day was coming soon.Until then, Hau and Gladion often visited during the days, giving the pair updates on the Hau’oli City Blitz. Their visits were the highlights of Izzy’s day. She would beg them for as many details as possible on all the matches, and Hau would gladly comply while Gladion mostly kept to himself. Guzma couldn’t help but laugh; Izzy always complained about Hau being so full of energy, but now that she was stuck in a hospital room, her energy matched--perhaps even surpassed--Hau’s. This often resulted in explosive conversations that left Guzma with his ears ringing.

“Gladion and I made it to the quarter finals today!” Hau had said, grinning from ear to ear like an Aipom. “And we knocked out Sophocles and his partner!”

“Plumeria and Molayne made it as well,” Gladion followed. “They’re tough as hell. The other team didn’t stand a chance.”

“That’s good,” Guzma said. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt at hearing Plumeria’s name. He hadn’t seen her since their last chat.

The nights at the hospital were nowhere near as joyous as the days. Every evening, Izzy would initially insist on sleeping without Guzma in bed with her. Inevitably, she would wake up from another nightmare and pitifully ask him to join her. Guzma didn’t mind; he would stay awake in a chair next to her until she’d wake up, making sure to be ready to comfort her from the nightmares that kept terrorizing her. It had become a strange ritual of theirs.

And every morning, they would pretend it never happened. Guzma did his best to act like it didn’t bother him, but on the inside it was driving him absolutely crazy. He knew it wasn’t the right time to ask, but he desperately wanted to know if Izzy enjoyed sleeping together--in all innocence of the words--as much as he did. It was something he began to look forward to every evening (which he felt guilty about since it was only because she kept having nightmares). It was pathetic.

Finally, the day before Izzy was scheduled to be released, the doctors ran a few other balance tests. Although her results weren’t perfect by any means, they were good enough to warrant her release. The doctors decided to let her go a day early--Izzy almost screamed with joy. She eagerly got her Pokemon back from the hospital’s daycare center and received her regular attire which she changed into in record speed. After meeting with Looker to set up all the details for a 24/7 patrol of her apartment, she went flying out of the hospital as fast as she could with Guzma chasing after her.

When she exited the building, she went sprinting straight across the street, laughing like a madman. Guzma called out to her to be careful, but couldn’t help the smile that had plastered itself onto his face. She was making her way toward the beach, and Guzma admired the way her figure was silhouetted by the setting sun on the horizon.

Of course, her mad dash wasn’t finished when she got to the beach; she kept running straight forward into the ocean, her stride becoming more of a strange series of hops as the water came above her knees. Guzma laughed from the shore; she looked like a Magikarp that had just seen the sea for the first time.

“Guzma, c’mon!” She called out, pausing only to turn and wave him over. Her body glistened in the sunlight, and her smile radiated a raw, pure joy. He felt his face go red--that was the happiest he had seen her in days. She looked like she was returning back to the Izzy he was more familiar with.

Without hesitation, he threw his shoes and jacket into the sand, rolled his sweatpants up above his knees, and ran out into the sea. As he approached her, Izzy began splashing at him; he laughed as he pointlessly attempted to block the water from hitting him.

“Bad move, Iz!” With a devious grin on his face, Guzma pounced at her, tackling her into the water. She shrieked playfully as they went under, quickly reemerging with their wet hair plastered to their heads.

“You ass!” She laughed, splashing at him again as he still held her against him.

He was lost in it. Her smile, her laughter, the feeling of her skin brushing against his, the way her eyes glistened as they happily looked into his. Everything. For a moment, the edges of the world around them blurred; the only things that mattered were him, her, and the rhythm of the ocean waves gently nudging against them.

\---

The walk back to the apartment was a wet one filled with a giddy joy. Izzy knew she had a lot to be worried about but couldn’t help feeling relieved and joyous with the fact that she was alive--somehow, someway, truly _alive!_ \--and finally out of the hospital. Guzma eagerly returned her excitement, beaming at her the whole way back to her apartment. Still dripping from their stunt at the beach, the pair basked in the moment, each feeling grateful for the other’s presence.

Although she didn’t want to admit it, she was beyond overjoyed to have Guzma with her. She had grown to appreciate him even more over their past week together. To be quite honest, Guzma was the only reason she didn’t completely lose her head over everything. With the attack from Liam who was supposedly with Team Rocket to the reemergence of her past which she had desperately wished to leave behind, Guzma had remained by her side through every minute of it. Although he hadn’t admitted it to her yet, Professor Kukui had told her that Guzma had ran straight to the hospital and practically never left her side immediately after the incident. Plus, he had been so thoughtful, so caring, so… kind. It was the complete opposite of what anybody would have expected of a notorious gang leader.

And then there were all the moments where he made her forget about everything. When he made her heart _soar_ out of her chest. When he made her feel normal again. Despite her embarrassment, she thought his reaction to seeing her half naked when he tried to help her get to the shower was adorable--and incredibly hilarious. And then there were the nights he would hold her against him, and the steady breaths and beating of his heart brought her peace. In those moments she felt safe, a feeling which she desperately needed.

Her crush on Guzma was slowly becoming something much, much more. And if she didn’t know any better, she’d guessed that the feelings were somewhat mutual. 

But she didn’t dare cross that line. 

Eventually, their giddiness mellowed into a content satisfaction as they finally made it back to the apartment. There, they met an agent of the International Police who was working the first shift patrolling her home. After going through a short series of questions with the agent, they made their way inside, careful not to touch anything with their wet clothes.

However, their arrival was met with a strange silence. It certainly was different; Izzy had been so busy with healing, physical therapy, and police reports at the hospital that she hadn’t had a single moment of silence since the attack. Although she had expected it to be calming and peaceful, it instead felt thick, as if something hung in the air that needed to be addressed--desperately.

“So, uh…” Guzma scratched as his undercut, avoiding eye contact, “Did you… want to talk about anything?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know. About anything. What happened, about the past… anything?”

_Ah, I guess we haven’t really talked about it yet by ourselves, have we? Guess that’s what feels so weird._

“To be honest, not really. At least not right now. Especially since we have our next match tomorrow. Kinda want to focus on that for a bit if you don’t mind.”

“Yeah, makes sense.” Guzma tried to sound understanding, but looked rejected. Sensing this, Izzy approached him, taking ahold of one of his hands in hers.

“But I do want to say this,” she looked up at him with a soft smile. “Thank you. I… don’t think I would have gotten through all this without you.”

Now, she wasn’t sure what compelled her to do what she did next. Maybe it was the joy of being back at her apartment, the excitement in her chest for her next match, or just the simple fact that she finally couldn’t help herself. Regardless of the reason, she got up on her toes, leaned forward slightly, and planted a quick, chaste kiss against Guzma’s cheek. He looked at her, his mouth slightly ajar in surprise and his face quickly becoming flushed. She chuckled to herself as his hand absentmindedly touched at his cheek where her lips had been.

“Now go get changed, bug boy!” She tossed a pillow at him, which hit him squarely in the chest and landed dully on the ground. “Don’t need you getting my apartment all wet!”

The rest of the night went on without a hitch, although Guzma was a bit quieter than usual. She did happen to catch him staring at her a few times while they were watching TV together, but thought nothing of it. Before she realized it, her eyelids were becoming heavy, and she began dozing, leaning on Guzma’s shoulder.

But before she fell asleep, she could have sworn she felt a set of lips gently press against the top of her head.


	12. Quarterfinals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! I couldn't help but get this chapter out as fast as I could--I'm so excited for the next few chapters! We are almost (but not really lolol) at the end of our story and I can't wait for everything to start coming together.
> 
> Again, thank you all so much for reading! Love y'all bunches <3

_“Izzy.” Her name left Guzma’s lips and ghosted across her neck. It was soft but desperate, as if a prayer, a plea for more. The sensation sent a shiver down her spine as her body arched into his._

_“Guz, please,” she begged, gripping at his back. His tongue was slowly drawing circles against her skin, leaving a burning desire in its wake. She moaned softly and wrapped her legs around him, pulling him even closer than he already was. Guzma hummed, moving his body with hers as he slowly, tantalizingly trailed his lips against her jawline._

_Slowly, he pulled away just enough to look her in the eye. His cheeks were tinted with desire, and she could feel his shaky breaths tingling against her skin. Izzy’s face was burning; his lips were inches away from hers._

_Oh, how she had wanted this._

_With his eyelids slowly closing, Guzma began leaning towards her—_

\---

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN’T SEE HER?!”

Izzy and Guzma awoke with a jump. Heart pounding, Izzy looked for the source of the yelling, only to realize it was coming from outside her apartment. There were two voices exchanging words aggressively, but Izzy couldn’t make out anymore of the conversation. She shook her head; the first time she wasn’t having a nightmare in a week and she was being rudely awakened by someone getting into an argument outside her apartment.

In fact, her dream had been quite the opposite. She felt her face heat up at the thought of it; she knew she had it bad, but this? This was… new.

“What the hell’s goin’ on out there?” Guzma grumbled, rubbing at his eyes. “Sounds like a fuckin’ Meowth fight.”

“Beats me. Maybe we should check—”

“Listen here, PUNK!” The voice was still muffled through the door, but was more than loud enough to understand. “My DAUGHTER lives in there, and if I want to see her then I’m going to see her!”

Izzy’s eyes suddenly shot wide open. How did she not recognize that voice the first time?

“Wait, is that _your mom?”_ Guzma asked, the corner of his mouth cocked up devilishly.

Not bothering to answer him, Izzy shot up off the couch and sprinted towards the door--she didn’t need her mom getting arrested for arguing with an agent from the International Police. Throwing her front door open, she stumbled down the stairs as she desperately called out to the agent. Sure enough, her mother stood in front of the poor man, angrily leaning towards him with her hands on her hips. Her mother’s signature I’m-so-pissed-I-might-rip-your-head-off look. 

“Wait! She’s fine! That’s my mom!”

Upon hearing Izzy’s voice, her mother’s expression changed instantly as she blew past the agent and towards Izzy. Beaming, the woman threw her arms around Izzy and strangled her with a hug; Izzy weakly patted at her mother’s back, begging for mercy.

“Oh, Izzy! I was so worried about you! When I heard what happened I tried to leave Sinnoh as fast as I could! But the airlines had cut flights to Alola so I had to get on a ship instead, but then there was an issue with the boat—”

“Mom, I’m fine!” Izzy said with a small laugh, finally wriggling her way out of her mother’s death grip. “I meant to call you, but things just got so hectic with everything. But I’m okay now.”

Izzy’s mom placed her hands on Izzy’s shoulders, looking at her daughter with misty eyes. “I’m just so, so happy you’re okay. Kukui kept me updated, bless that man, but I was worried I… I thought…” She began crying, and Izzy pulled her into a hug once again, patting her back gently.

“I was worried, too. But look! I’m all safe and sound.”

“Oh, I know, I know!” Her mother pulled away and began furiously wiping away her tears. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I just love you so much.”

“Love you too, mom.”

“Now,” Izzy’s mom straightened her posture and cocked her head ever-so-slightly, “I want you to tell me all about this blitz-tournament-thing you’re in. C’mon, let’s head inside.”

 _Oh no._ Izzy felt her heart drop. Her mother—a country-values woman from the deep south of Kanto—would absolutely flip out if she knew Guzma—a notorious gang leader—was staying at her apartment. Hell, her mom probably had no idea that Guzma was even her partner.

“W-wait, mom! How about we go somewhere else? I know how much you like the pancakes at Cafe du—”

“Oh, nonsense! I can whip up something for you here, sweetie!”

After throwing a half-hearted apology to the agent, Izzy chased after her mother who was already halfway up the stairs to the front door of her apartment. Before she could open the door, Izzy threw herself in front of it.

“Izzy? Is something wrong?”

“Can we please not go inside my apartment?”

“What? Is somebody in there?” Her mother’s expression suddenly became shocked and she began speaking in a hushed voice. “Wait, are you in danger? Do we need to get the cops?”

Izzy groaned. “No, I’m not in danger—”

“Then why can’t your mother go into your apartment?”

_Fuck. Here goes nothing, I guess. Arceus, help me._

Izzy spoke in a hushed, pleading voice. “Look, I know it’s weird and you’re probably going to judge me for it, but… for now, I need you to be cool, okay? You can chew me out later, but please, please just be cool for now.”

“Izzy, what are you—”

“You know how people in the Blitz get assigned a random partner?” Izzy’s mother nodded her head. “Good. And you know Team Skull, right?”

Her mother jolted upright, eyes wide. “Wait, are one of those hooligans your partner in the Blitz?”

“Even better. He’s the leader of Team Skull.”

Her mother gasped dramatically, placing her hand over her chest like the true Kantonian southern belle she was. “Izzy! I can’t _believe_ —”

“And he’s been living with me.”

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Izzy’s mother’s jaw dropped so hard it almost detached itself from her face. Izzy had seen her mother look flabbergasted before, but she had never seen her mother look so completely shell shocked in her life. To be quite honest, even though Izzy was terrified about what her mom was going to think of Guzma, she was enjoying giving her mother a near heart attack—it was always fun to prod at her old country values. 

After taking a moment to process the words that came out of Izzy’s mouth, she leaned forward with a deadly scowl across her face. “Isabel Arnolds, I _swear_ if he’s in there right now—”

“Oh, he is! Mother, meet…” with a flourish, she threw her apartment door open, “Guzma!”

Guzma was sitting upright on the couch, still in his pajamas. His hair looked like a Pidgey had decided to make it into a makeshift nest. He looked over awkwardly, offering a crooked smile and a half-hearted wave. Izzy almost keeled over laughing; despite his poor appearance, it was obvious he was trying to make a good first impression.

Izzy’s mother attempted to hide her discontent and quickly put on the fakest smile Izzy had ever seen. “Oh, Guzma! Such a, er, _pleasure_ to meet you!”

Guzma stood up, his body rigid. “Uh, pleasure’s all mine, Ms. Arnolds.”

“So, _Guzma,_ I hear you’re the leader of Team Skull?” The woman’s voice went up at least an octaves at the tail end of her question. Guzma audibly gulped.

“Y-yeah, that’s me.”

“And you think you can just stay here and mooch off of my daughter?”

_Shit. Shit. Abort mission._

Hearing the hostility in her mother’s voice, Izzy quickly grabbed her mother by the shoulders and began ushering her out the door.

“Okay mom I think you’ve had a nice chat with Guzma now let’s get you on the road—”

“Isabel Arnolds, if you even _think—”_

Before her mother could finish, Izzy pulled her out of her apartment and shut the door behind her. Fuming, Izzy’s mother glared at her, jaw clenched and finger pointed directly at Izzy’s face.

“Young lady, if you think I’m going to stand for this—”

“Mom, I’m twenty-two years old! I can make these decisions for myself! And Guzma is a really nice guy!”

“I don’t care how nice he is! He’s a _gang leader!”_

_”Mother!”_

“Izzy, you just got out of the hospital! He’s just a thug! The last thing you need is some thug dragging you into more trouble!”

Izzy suddenly felt her blood boiling. She didn’t care if it was her mother, she didn’t have any right to say something so rude, so _wrong._

“Oh yeah? Well, guess what? This _thug_ was by my side through EVERYTHING this past week! He hasn’t dragged me into trouble! In fact, he’s one of the reasons I didn’t fucking die in that hospital! He stayed with me every night, he made me feel safe when I was terrified of being attacked again! But where the hell were you?”

Her mother flinched. “Izzy—”

“Guzma is amazing! He’s kind, he’s caring, he’s incredibly strong, and he sure as hell isn’t as judgemental as you!”

“Izzy, I—”

“So don’t you _dare_ just call him _some thug!_ Because Guzma is so much more than that!”

Izzy’s chest was pounding with a rage she didn’t know she had inside her. Her throat was hurting from yelling, and her palms burned from where her nails had dug into her skin. The woman in front of her seemed shocked, as if she had never expected to be turned against like this.

There was a tension in the air. Izzy’s mother opened her mouth as if she were going to speak, but closed it before saying anything. Her shoulders hung dejectedly. Izzy suddenly felt a pang of guilt in her chest; she had hurt her mother. She looked at the ground, scratching bashfully at the back of her head.

“Jeez, I… I’m sorry, mom. I shouldn’t have yelled—”

“I’m sorry.”

It was Izzy’s turn to be shocked. She looked up at her mother, who was offering her a sad smile.  
“But—”

“Sweetie, don’t worry about it. Yes, you shouldn’t have yelled, but I shouldn’t have judged Guzma the way I did.” She laughed softly, looking towards Izzy’s front door. “After all, I shouldn’t treat the man who was by your side in the hospital like that, especially when your own mother couldn’t even be there.”

Izzy couldn’t help but laugh, too. “Yeah, he is pretty great. And please, don’t think that I’m mad at you for not being here when I was stuck at the hospital. You’re still the best mom ever.”

“I try to be.” She paused for a moment in thought before continuing. “And I’ll try to be more, er, _open minded,_ but you’ll have to give me a chance to get used to him. Deal?”

Izzy grinned. “As long as you play nice, then it’s a deal.”

After bidding her mother farewell (“I’ll be at your match this evening! Make sure to listen ‘cause I’ll be cheering the loudest!”), Izzy entered her apartment to find a stunned Guzma slouched on her couch.

“So, uh,” Izzy began nervously, scratching at the back of her head, “I’m guessing you heard all that?”

“F’course I did.”

“I’m sorry, Guz. She’s a bit old school—”

Guzma shook his head, standing up as he made his way towards Izzy. “No, it’s no big deal. I’m used to reactions like that.” Izzy winced at that. It made sense, but she still wished that it weren’t true. “But… I’ve never…” His voice trailed off as he stood in front of her, looking at her intently. She felt herself begin to blush under his gaze.

“Never what?”

He looked away bashfully. “Never had anybody stand up for me like that before.”

_Fuck. Of course he’s never had someone stand up for him. He’s always had to fend for himself. That’s why he’s big, bad Guzma._

“O-oh. Well, I had to. What she said wasn’t right.”

“Huh.” He looked up at the ceiling for a moment, as if wondering whether or not to say something. “Did ya mean it?”

“Huh?”

“What you said about me out there. Did ya mean it?”

 _Oh, no. He really did hear everything._ If Izzy was blushing before, the skin on her face was about to sizzle off then. 

“W-well, uh… yeah. Of course I did. I, uh, think you’re pretty great.”

“... Huh.” Guzma stood in front of her, slightly nodding his head as if he were holding a silent conversation with himself. “Nobody’s ever done that for me before. Thanks, I guess.”

Realizing that they were no longer going to be able to sleep in anymore, the pair tried their best to put the morning’s events behind them and focus on the rest of their day—after all, they still had a quarterfinal match to win.

\---

The day passed by without much else happening. Since they hadn’t really talked about the tournament at all while Izzy was in the hospital, the pair spent most of their day discussing their battle strategy for their upcoming match against Mallow and Lana.

“How the hell did those two get to be partners, anyway?” Guzma griped, pouting at the dining room table. “They’re, like, best friends and somehow the two of them ended up as a team? Give me a break.”

“Guess lady luck was on their side.”

“And they’re both pretty tough, too. They’re captains for a reason.”

“Oh, I know they are,” Izzy responded as she sat at the table with two mugs of tapu cocoa. She passed one to Guzma, who gave her a nod. “Hau and I saw them battle some of your Team Skull kids a while back. Whupped them pretty good.”

Guzma scoffed. “Not gonna lie, that probably doesn’t say much. Most of my kiddos don’t know a damn thing about battlin’. I’m tryin’ to teach ‘em, and they’re doing their best, but… it’ll take some time.”

“Wow, look at you. Didn’t know you were trying to be a teacher,” she leaned across the table and tilted her head coyly, _“Mr. Guzma.”_

Guzma’s face turned a slight pink as he spit out his tapu cocoa, and Izzy burst into laughter. Oh, now that she knew how to make Guzma blush, she was having way too much fun with it.

About an hour before the match, Looker arrived to personally escort the pair to the stadium. He chastised Izzy for allowing her mother to harass one of his agents, but otherwise was fairly quiet. The walk to the stadium was longer than usual; Looker didn’t say much to either of them, but his eyebrows seemed furrowed in concern. When they arrived at the stadium, there was a significant increase in security from Izzy’s last match. Dozens of officers were patrolling the perimeter, and each entrance now had a series of scanning devices that each person had to go through before entering the building.

Izzy had initially been excited for the match, but was now feeling a small seed of anxiety sprouting in the pit of her stomach. She had managed to put aside the attack from the last match, but with the increase in security and police escort from her apartment, she couldn’t help but feel a strange fear creeping up her back.

Afterall, Team Rocket was still in Alola, and it seemed like they wanted her dead. Who was to say they would stop now when their first attempt failed?

“Izzy.” Guzma placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. His expression was stoic, but his eyes were burning with an intensity she was becoming more familiar with. “I’m not gonna let anythin’ happen to you, okay?”

Izzy shook her head and smiled. Of course he had noticed her fears. “Is it that obvious?”

Guzma smirked in response. “Only a little.”

“Okay, you two,” Looker sighed, “the Blitz officials will take you from here. Good luck today.” With a nod, Looker quickly turned on his heel and left the pair at the front of the stadium.

\---

It was only a few more moments before their battle began. Izzy and Guzma stood in the dark hallway, listening to the echoes of cheers from the stadium. In the past, the sound had been invigorating, something akin to a “pump-up” just before their match, but now it was an ominous melody that made Izzy’s hair stand on end.

Since she had entered the stadium, Izzy became a frazzled mess. Not only did she shake like a leaf through the entire match registration process, but she also found herself constantly looking over her shoulder, paranoid of who else might try to get her. Guzma had attempted to comfort her on multiple occasions, but there was little he could do to help her feel better.

“Hey, Iz,” Guzma began, looking straight ahead, “I think they’re about to announce us.”

“Then here goes nothing.”

“You don’t have to do this.” He turned towards her, his hand brushing up against hers. “We can turn around right now and leave if you want.”

“No. I have to do this.” She looked up at him, her eyes terrified yet determined. “I can’t just live in fear. I can’t let Giovanni win.”

“Then let’s do it together.” His fingers slowly intertwined with hers for a moment, and he gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll be here the whole way.”

“Thank you.”

With a smile, Guzma released her hand, and the pair entered the stadium. They were once again greeted by cheers from the audience, but this time it was more rhythmic, as if they were chanting something. Lana and Mallow could be seen on the other side of the stadium, clapping as well.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen, please join in welcoming back team 52! Izzy has made an incredible recovery, and she’s back for more, folks!”

The crowd roared with enthusiasm, their chants becoming even louder—It was unlike anything she had ever heard. Izzy suddenly seemed beside herself with joy, beaming as her head swiveled around, embracing the scene around her. She waved at the countless adoring fans she had won over, Guzma laughing as she did so.

 _“Welcome back! Welcome back! Welcome back!”_ The chants suddenly became distinguishable, and Izzy’s chest swelled with happiness.

“Now, folks, the match you’ve all been waiting for! On the eastern side of the battlefield, we have the Kantonian menace, Izzy, and destruction in human form, Guzma! They will be battling the trial captain duo, Mallow and Lana!” The announcer’s voice boomed out across the stadium.

The official in the middle of the battlefield suddenly raised up his checkered flag, and a hush fell over the crowd.

“Trainers! On my command!”

Izzy held a Pokeball in her hand, her thumb stroking the button in anticipation.

“Release your Pokemon!”

In a flash of blinding red light, Izzy and Guzma released Kommo-o and Scizor while Mallow and Lana released Shiinotic and Araquanid. Izzy felt her heart drop; she had banked on Mallow using her Tsareena, but now had to have her Kommo-o, a dragon-type and fighting-type Pokemon, go up against Mallow’s fairy-type, Shiinotic. It was a matchup destined for failure.

“Leave the Shiinotic to me and Scizor,” Guzma said hastily. “Try to separate Araquanid!”

The official lifted the flag a bit higher. “Battle…” he paused for a moment, then swung the flag down, “BEGIN!”

“Kommo-o! Tackle Araquanid away from Shiinotic!”

With a thunderous roar, Kommo-o lunged at Araquanid, easily wrapping its arms around it and tackling it across the stadium. Araquanid attempted to stave off the dragon, but Kommo-o was at too close of a range for it to get a hit off. The two collided into a wall, with Kommo-o pinning the spider against it.

“Now, Scizor! Iron Head on Shiinotic!” Guzma yelled. Scizor quickly complied, charging at the fungus with a strange power brimming from its head.

“Stop Scizor with Spore!” Mallow called out. Shiinotic complied and released a flurry of white spores. Scizor attempted to backtrack and avoid the spores, but it was too late; one had landed directly on its head. With how powerful Shiinotic spores were, Scizor fell asleep instantly in the middle of the pitch.

“Fuck!” Guzma hissed. “Guzma! What is wrong with you?!”

“I’ve got it for now!” Izzy reassured him. “Just get your Scizor awake soon!”

“Oh, no you don’t!” Mallow called from across the stadium with a sing-song voice. “Shiinotic, use Moonblast on Kommo-o!”

Izzy’s chest tightened up. Even with Araquanid in the line of fire, Mallow was still going to go for Kommo-o? _I’ll make her regret that!_

“Use Araquanid as a shield!”

Just as the Shiinotic shot off a blazing beam of light, Kommo-o spun around, holding the Araquanid as a shield against its body. Izzy’s plan had worked, but just barely; the Araquanid shrieked as it took the brunt of the hit, but Kommo-o was unable to completely protect itself and took a good chunk of damage as well. Both of the Pokemon slumped to the ground after the attack, and Araquanid feebly crawled away from the dragon as quickly as it could.

Izzy’s body went rigid. The tables were now completely turned against her. Kommo-o was quite literally up against the wall, cornered by both Shiinotic and Araquanid. Scizor, the only Pokemon who had a type advantage against Shiinotic, was still out cold with Guzma begging for the bug to wake up. On top of that, Kommo-o definitely wouldn’t be able to survive another Moonblast from that damned fungus. They had played right into Mallow and Lana’s hands, and Izzy was scrambling for any ideas that would save her neck.

“Araquanid, Sticky Web! Trap Kommo-o!” Lana called out.

“Spore again!” Mallow commanded as well.

From that point, their plan became evident: make Kommo-o completely unable to escape and then attack it.

“Kommo-o! You have to dodge it!” Izzy cried out desperately. The dragon nodded and took off sprinting against the outside border of the stadium.

The battle quickly became a game of cat and mouse; both Araquanid and Shiinotic tried to land an attack on the dragon, but it was too quick, narrowly dodging each attack. Izzy had hoped to stall them long enough for Scizor to wake up, but to no avail. Kommo-o became more and more exhausted as the match dragged on and began slowing down; she realized that she had to finish off the match on her own.

Izzy quickly began weighing her options as Kommo-o continued to weave between the onslaught of attacks. She could have Kommo-o target the Shiinotic, but it would be a risky tactic since the fungus could easily handicap Kommo-o since all of her dragon’s attacks were close range ones. She could instead target the Araquanid, but Mallow had already proven that she would continue to attack Kommo-o even if her partner was in the line of fire. No, Izzy either needed a way to hit them both from long range or a way to wake up Scizor.

 _Wait, that’s it! Kommo-o’s Z-move!_ It was a long shot, but the Clangorous Soulblaze Z-move would not only certainly knock out Araquanid, but also possibly wake up Scizor with its loud sound. The only downside was that Shiinotic would be completely unaffected by the attack—the only damage it would take would be if Araquanid got blown back into it. Regardless, it seemed like Izzy’s best option.

“Alright, Kommo-o! One last shot!” Izzy yelled as she activated her Z-ring. The ring began glowing, and soon a brilliant energy began radiating from both Izzy and Kommo-o. As if the two had suddenly become one entity, they moved in sync; their arms reached out in front of their bodies with their hands clasped together.

The audience watched in awe as the dragon then began performing a ritualistic dance, its scales rattling ominously as it miraculously continued to dodge the onslaught of attacks from Araquanid and Shiinotic. Suddenly, with the last step of its dance, Kommo-o released a deafening sound accompanied by a blinding wave of light. The attack radiated all around Kommo-o, squarely hitting Araquanid, Shiinotic, and even Scizor.

Araquanid was knocked out and blown back, but missed knocking into Shiinotic, ruining any chance of taking down that damned fungus. Scizor’s body also got tossed aside by the impact, but the Pokemon was still strewn across the ground, unmoving.

A sudden sense of dread fell over Izzy. As the attack fizzled out, the stadium became filled with an eerie silence. Kommo-o slumped to the ground once again, completely exhausted, as the Shiinotic began closing in on the dragon. Her plan had failed.

Throwing her arm up in victory, Mallow called out a final command. “Shiinotic, Moonblast!” The fungus began charging up the attack, a brilliant light forming in front of it. Kommo-o attempted to move, but was too weak to dodge the attack. Izzy looked on in horror; it was all over.

“Iron Head!”

Suddenly, a blur of light flew across the stadium and smashed into Shiinotic. A resounding, high-pitched _kreeeeeeeeng!_ echoed through the stadium as the Shiinotic took the impact of the hit, and the fungus was spiked directly into the ground.

Scizor landed upright, and the stadium was silent once more. Izzy’s jaw dropped.

They won.

They _won!_

The crowd burst into a thunderous cheer as the announcer declared Izzy and Guzma the winners. Izzy turned to Guzma and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Guzma laughed as he picked her and spun her around.

They made it to the semifinals.


	13. Bug Buzz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 300 hits y'all, I'm crying. You folks are amazing and I love every single one of y'all. 
> 
> This chapter is mostly relationship building. We'll hit some more major plot stuff in the next chapter (and for sure in the chapter after that). But we are almost at the end, friends!!
> 
> Speaking of the end, I'm caught at a bit of a crossroads. My original intent was to take this story into a full on series that continued after the Blitz (to be honest, the Blitz was only supposed to be an initial setup for the series), but I'm also kinda feeling this as a standalone work and diving into my other intended story lines through a completely separate fic. So I guess my question is: continue on with Izzy and Guzma in a sequel, or tie off their story here and start a new one after this? Any feedback would be appreciated :)
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy!

Guzma didn’t remember exactly how he got dragged to one of the local bars. He didn’t know when he had gotten a glass of whiskey in his hand--Arceus knew he couldn’t afford the shit--nor did he know exactly how many glasses he had gone through. And he sure as hell didn’t know why he had random-ass girls who looked too damn young for the place flocking to him. But most importantly, he didn’t know when Izzy had left his side and gotten lost in the crowd.

He sipped at the drink in his hand, grateful that at least the music was at a reasonable level--Guzma wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle a booming bass shaking his entire body. Hala had mentioned something about celebrating their victory, and Izzy begged Guzma to go along. Guzma would have much rather spent the evening quietly relishing in their victory with Izzy by his side, but he couldn’t say no to her Lillipup eyes and trembling lip. And she didn’t even have the decency to at least hang out with him at the bar. He grumbled angrily to himself, slouching over the counter as his fingers absentmindedly chipped at the glass in his hand.

Where the hell was Izzy?

“Oh, don’t worry about her, bug boy. She’s doing just fine,” a velvety voice cooed to him. He turned sluggishly to find Kahuna Olivia sitting next to him, a coy smirk on her face. “Looks like some of your kids have gotten ahold of her.”

He followed where her finger pointed and saw Izzy sitting at a table with both Abel and Claire, two of his hooligans from Team skull. The pair seemed to be egging her on with some kind of drinking game, and Izzy was having obvious difficulties matching their voluptuous drinking.

“How the hell did those two get in here?” Guzma grumbled. “They ain’t even twenty-one yet.”

“Bar is open to anyone sixteen and up for the Blitz. They’re still technically not supposed to drink but… You know how it goes.” She threw a glance over her shoulder, and Guzma followed her gaze only to find both Gladion and Hau both looking around cautiously. “A good move? Probably not. But it gets them plenty of business!”

“And plenty of underage drinkers,” a dry voice droned. It was Kahuna Nanu, who had slumped into a seat next to Olivia. “And with all my officers working security for the Blitz, they’ll get away with it. The little shits.”

Guzma scoffed. Since when did the Kahunas get chummy with him? He didn’t necessarily have bad blood with Olivia, but his history with Nanu was far from amicable. “Look, I ain’t here to cause trouble, so you can—”

“What, are we not allowed to sit and chat with mister destruction in human form?” Olivia laughed, taking a sip of the fruity drink in her hand. “You made it to the semifinals, bug boy! We’re just here to celebrate with you.”

“Yeah, what she said.” Nanu arched one of his eyebrows, his signature devilish grin creeping on to his face. “That is, unless you’re up to something.”

“Ha, ha. Funny. I’m just here cause the kid dragged me along.” Looking around, he noticed the edges of his vision becoming a bit fuzzy. _Dammit. Guess this’ll be my last drink for now._

“And speaking of the _kid,”_ Olivia began, pausing dramatically, “how’s it going between you two?”

“Whaddaya mean? ‘S goin’ fine. We’re winning, can’t complain.”

“Oh, don’t be dense, bug boy!” Olivia said with a flourish. Guzma grimaced. He loathed people calling him that.

Other than Izzy, of course.

“We just happen to make a good team. That’s that.”

“Oh, c’mon, Guzma. You two are the talk of the island,” Nanu droned. “Even my officers keep rambling on about you two.”

Guzma’s face suddenly became hot and flushed. The last thing he needed was for the entirety of Alola to suddenly think they were just some pair of head-over-heels lovers. A lot of good that would do for his reputation. “Are you fuckin’ kidding me?”

Olivia laughed boisterously, leaning back so far she almost fell out of her stool. “Oh, Guzma! In all my years knowing you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush!”

“Don’t get used to it, princess,” Guzma responded through gritted teeth, his face still burning.

Olivia laughed once again then took a long swig from her fruity drink. Guzma couldn’t deny it; she was an attractive woman. People always wondered how she was still single. “You know, Nanu,” she began, still staring directly at Guzma, “I’d say she’s had quite the influence on him. He just seems _softer_ on the edges now.”

Guzma knew exactly why she was single. It was because she was so fucking annoying.

“Oh, piss off!” Guzma quickly downed the remainder of her drink and made to leave the counter, but Olivia stopped him, grabbing at his arm.

“Sorry, sorry! Couldn’t help but tease,” she said earnestly. “You know, I’m just glad you’ve got somebody now.”

“Look, for the last time—”

“No, no, I don’t mean like that. Just the fact you have someone close to you, someone who sees you for you, not just as some scary gang leader.”

Guzma paused, feeling a strange sense of deja vu. Her words were so similar to Plumeria’s and Looker’s. He felt a fluttering sensation in his stomach, one that he was starting to become familiar. Maybe they were seeing something he was too dense to figure out. 

“Yeah, guess I’m pretty lucky.”

“There really is something about you two.” Olivia offered him a soft, genuine smile. “It’s like you two bring out the best in one another—both on and off the battlefield.”

“And maybe, if _I’m_ lucky, she’ll keep you out of trouble, too,” Nanu remarked, smirking.

The trio laughed together, and for once, Guzma didn’t entirely feel like an outcast. He couldn’t remember the last time—if there even was a time—that he had held a casual conversation with the Kahunas. It was refreshing, to say the least.

His small moment of bliss was interrupted by an annoying loud voice yelling _“PARTY FOUL!”_ accompanied by a series of squeals and glasses breaking. The trio whipped around to find Izzy stumbling, with Abel and Claire struggling to hold her up. Her shirt was obviously soaked with some kind of booze and it clung to her skin, revealing the neat curves of her body. Finding himself blushing again, Guzma shook his head. Not only was she an absolute lightweight, but she was a menace of a drunk.

And a damn cute one at that.

“Huh, guess I misspoke. Looks like you’re the one who needs to get her out of trouble.” Nanu remarked, his voice bland. Olivia, on the other hand, was laughing hysterically once again. “Need any help?”

“Nah, I’ve got her. Y’all have a good night.”

Guzma got off his stool and walked towards Izzy, easily splitting the sea of bar-goers with his menacing figure. Abel and Clair noticed him approaching and began quickly offering their apologies, Izzy swaying between the two of them.

“We thought she’d be okay!”

“She was only a few drinks in!”

“You numbskulls have to be more careful, ‘aight? Now y’all get back to Po Town—”

“But—”

 _“Now.”_ Guzma’s voice became dangerously low, and the two teens in front of him quickly obliged, throwing Izzy into his arms and darting out the door.

Izzy completely slumped against Guzma’s body, and Guzma could feel the cool wetness of her shirt slowly dampening his own clothes. He shook his head again, his mouth hinting at a smile. Her head nodded back, eyes half lidded and her face rosy as she grabbed helplessly at his arms.

“Heeeyyy, Guzzzzz,” she slurred, swaying in his arms. “Where’d my frien’s go?”

“They went home. And you’re going home too, princess.”

“Ooooooh, princess?” She looked at him wide-eyed, her mouth more agape than it should have been. “I like that one~”

Guzma threw Izzy’s arm over his shoulder and guided her out of the bar, careful to dodge the onslaught of dancers and party-goers. She awkwardly attempted to dance along with the beat of the music as he dragged her along, mumbling something about Guzma joining her on the dance floor.

The pair eventually managed to stumble their way out of the bar, earning their fair share of judgmental looks from on goers. Guzma uncharacteristically ignored them; his objective was to see to it that Izzy made it home safely.

Suddenly, Guzma felt a knot form in his stomach. _Ya know, this would be a really shit time for Team Rocket to try some shit._ Earlier, Looker had insisted on giving them an escort back to Izzy’s apartment immediately after their match. Izzy rejected his offer, deciding to instead indulge in the adrenaline coursing through her from their quarterfinal victory by celebrating at the bar. Looker was certainly unenthused by her decision yet left her to celebrate, but not before ensuring Guzma would contact him at the first sign of danger.

Guzma debated whether or not to call Looker in that moment, but was interrupted by Izzy buckling under her own weight. He barely caught her before she completely crumbled to the ground and was rewarded a skewed grin from his drunken partner.

“Wow, walking is… a LOT harder right nowww.”

“Jeez, kid. We’ll never get you back at this pace. Here.” He squatted down just enough for Izzy to clamour onto his back. She obliged as best as she could, throwing herself against him and recklessly swinging her arms around his neck. Grimacing, he adjusted her hands so she wouldn’t strangle him the entire walk back.

The pair traveled down the city streets much quicker, with Izzy rambling about Arceus knew what. Guzma couldn’t understand her half the time, but indulged in her drunken conversations nevertheless, occasionally responding with a “huh” or “yeah” to appear interested.

“It was… a whole HERD of Tauros! Outsiiiiiide my own HOUSE! Can you _believe_ it?”

“Never saw that one coming, kid.”

“Ya know, Guzma--”she was interrupted by a violent hiccup that shook her whole body, but continued on as if nothing happened-- “I’m reaaaaaal lucky.”

The corner of Guzma’s mouth perked up. “Oh? And why’s that?”

She giggled, another hiccup shaking her entire frame as she nuzzled her head into the side of his neck. “‘Cause I’ve got you, silly!”

Guzma stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide and heart beating irrationally fast. “W-what?”

“I mean, whaddar the odds? That WE would be partners?” Her hands loosened their grip for a moment as her fingers clumsy attempted to calculate the odds of her fate. After mere seconds, she threw her hands up in dismay. “Ugh, the math is too haaaaard! But ya know whadda mean. Somehow, out of aaaaaaall those people, I got put with you! I’d call that pretty damn lucky. ”

Guzma’s face heated up, and he felt that fluttering feeling in his stomach once again. She felt lucky? Lucky to be partners with _him?_ He was a fuck-up, a villain, a nobody. He couldn’t understand what she saw in him.

“Let’s get you to bed, kid.”

Upon arriving at the apartment complex, Guzma and Izzy were greeted by the latest agent assigned to patrol the area for Izzy’s safety. She scowled upon seeing how drunk Izzy was and insisted on Guzma leaving for the night while she cared for Izzy. In response, Izzy (quite literally) hissed at the agent, clinging tightly to Guzma as if to say _back off, he’s staying with me!_

“Fine. But I’ll be listening. Better not be any funny business.” The agent backed off, but glared at Guzma. He scowled, hurt at what the agent had implied.

_Fuckin’ hell. I know I’ve got a bad rep, but c’mon. I’m not a fuckin’ monster._

The pair entered the apartment, and Guzma carried Izzy directly to her bedroom. There, he gently set her on her bed and began rummaging through her dresser to find her some clean clothes. He had never even seen the inside of her bedroom before, but it certainly wasn’t anything remarkable. Aside from the bed, dresser, and nightstand with a beat-up lamp, there was hardly anything in there. It was incredibly lackluster compared to the living room which had been so carefully decorated.

Upon finding a set of clothes he was satisfied with, he turned back to Izzy, only to find her stripped down to just her undergarments. Her bra straps were casually slipping down her shoulders as she sat slumped on her bed, leaning back on her arms. Guzma was almost certain his face was about to sizzle off entirely, and Izzy giggled as she swayed.

“Izzy, what the hell--”

“Those clothes were sooooo uncomfy!” She laughed, falling backwards onto the bed.

His heart was flip-flopping in his chest at this point. Not only was she half-naked in front of him, but her soft, drunken laughter was absolutely intoxicating, filling Guzma’s chest with a strange warmth as he stared at her. He wanted to hold her, to plant soft kisses against her skin in hopes that he would be rewarded with more of her insatiable giggles.

_Fuck. Fuck. Get your head out of your ass, Guzma. What the fuck is wrong with you._

“Fuckin’... look, just put these on before--” he voice stopped suddenly as his gaze fell upon her side.

It was where she had been attacked by the Toxicroak. A large scar trailed up along her skin, reaching from her hip bone to the middle of her ribcage. It was a scar that hadn’t healed nicely; different lumps of scar tissue could be seen protruding from it, and it still had a sickly purple tint.

Absentmindedly, Guzma found himself next to her, his fingers softly tracing along the scar. Izzy stared unflinchingly at him as he did so, moving her arm out of the way so he could better see it.

“It’s pretty nasty, huh?” She mumbled softly. “Makes me look ugly.” Her lip pouted slightly as her face fell, and it was enough to almost make Guzma cry.

“No, no. Nothing could ever make you look ugly. You’re beautiful.” The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, but there was no use in taking them back. They were true. His only saving grace was that she probably wouldn’t remember a damn thing in the morning.

“You really think so?”

Guzma smiled softly. “F’course I do.”

“Well I think youuuuur beautiful, tooooooo.” Her words slurred together, and her eyes were half lidded with a drunken joy.

She truly did look beautiful.

Snapping out of his daze, he quickly tossed the clothes he had gathered towards her. “Now get dressed and go to bed. I’ll be in the front room if you need me.”

He turned to make his way out of the room but was stopped by an unintelligible whine. Looking back at Izzy, he saw her look as though she were about to burst into tears.

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t leave meeeeee.”

“What?” He looked at her, confused. “I’m not leaving, I’ll just be--”

“Nooooo, I want you here. With... me.” Her words were still slurred, but were edged with a deep fear that no amount of alcohol would suppress. “I’m scared. Pleaseeeee?”

And it all suddenly made sense. Of course she was scared. At the hospital, she had only been able to sleep when Guzma slept with her, and that was only after succumbing to her nightmares. She was usually too embarrassed to ask him such a favor, but now that she was nothing short of complete-drunk-off-her-ass, the embarrassment easily faded away, and her fears seemed even more daunting.

Guzma was heartbroken and enraged. This poor girl was having to cope with the fact that an infamous gang was trying to kill her _again_ in the midst of the biggest tournament in Alola. He wanted desperately to make her feel better, to put an end to her fears. And, more importantly, he wanted to personally destroy Team Rocket once and for all.

“F’course. Let’s just get you dressed first.”

After helping Izzy to shuffle into her pajamas, the pair climbed into bed together. Laying on his back, Guzma welcomed Izzy as she crawled on top of him, nestling her head against his chest. It was only a few moments before her soft snores filled the air, the subtle thrum of her heart beating against him. Secretly, Guzma was thrilled to be sleeping next to Izzy once again. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. The curve of her body once again fit against his perfectly, and he was beginning to accept the fact that there was something of a connection between him and Izzy. Something special.

\---

The morning light filtered through Izzy’s bedroom window, softly lighting up her face as a Pikipek sung happily outside. She groaned to herself; not only was it too damn early, but she had an _awful_ headache which she assumed had resulted from the night before.

Fuck, the night before. She remembered going to the bar after Guzma somehow managed to scrape them a quarterfinal victory. She remembered meeting Abel and Claire, both of whom got her completely shit faced. And she vaguely remembered Guzma carrying her back to the apartment. Everything after that was… unaccounted for.

Attempting to remember anything else from the previous night only resulted in her headache throbbing even more, so she put aside her concerns; not-hungover-Izzy could take care of the problem later. Besides, her bed was surprisingly warm and comforting…

And snoring too, apparently.

Izzy’s eye shot open, and she was greeted by a sleeping Guzma, his mouth ajar and arms wrapped around her. 

_Oh no. Oh fuck. Oh my fucking god oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no_

He was in bed with her. She was hungover. And she couldn’t remember anything from last night.

She wasn’t sure what drove her to doing what she did next, but Izzy grabbed the pillow nearest to her, leaned over Guzma, and began hitting him with it.

“WHAT! ARE! YOU! DOING! IN! MY! BED!” Her words matched with each feathery blow she landed. Guzma jerked awake, a garble of unintelligible sounds tumbling from his mouth as he scrambled off the bed and out of Izzy’s pillow-slinging range.

“Wait, wait! I can explain--” he was interrupted by the pillow being hurdled across the room, which he narrowly dodged.

“What is there to explain?!” She retrieved another pillow off the bed and threw it, Guzma once again barely avoiding it.

“Nothing happened last night! I swear!”

Out of pillows, Izzy began pulling clothes out of her dresser and throwing them at Guzma. “Then what the hell were you doing in bed with me?! _I was drunk!_ ”

“If you would-- _augh!_ \--stop for ONE SECOND!”

Izzy stopped momentarily, armed with a pair of socks which she intended to throw right between his eyes. “You better have a good reason--”

“Izzy, you were drunk and you were _scared._ You didn’t wanna be alone last night and asked me to sleep with ya!” He held his hands up in innocence. “Does any of that ring a bell?”

Izzy slowly lowered the pair of socks she had; her memory was certainly still rough, but that jogged it just a enough.

“Shit.” Her gaze fell to the floor as she scratched at the back of her head, embarrassed. “I must’ve been really drunk.”

With a sigh, Guzma’s shoulders loosened up a bit as his arms came back down to his sides. “Yeah, you’re telling me, princess.”

She threw a quick glance at him. “Don’t call me that.”

“Hey, you said you liked it last night.”

“Asshole.”

\---

After pounding some pain killers, taking a hot shower, and throwing up anything that may have been left in her stomach, Izzy laid out on the couch watching a tasteless reality TV show. She was only half focused on it, the other half of her trying to will away the somewhat-less-painful-but-still-shitty throbbing in her head.

“Hey, I made this for ya.” Guzma sat beside her with a mug. She didn’t even have to ask what it was; the smell of tapu cocoa was unmistakable. “It always helped me with my hangovers.”

Izzy grabbed it with a nod of thanks and took a long, luxurious swig. The heat scalded the inside of her mouth, but the overwhelming sweetness made her pay no mind to the burning sensation.

“Ya don’t need to drink the whole thing at once. It’s not goin’ anywhere.”

“Uh, yeah it is. It’s going into my stomach. No escape.”

Guzma let out a soft, airy laugh. “Well, excuse me. My bad.”

After finishing the mug, she placed it gently in her lap, sighing contentedly. “Thanks, Guz. And about last night. And this morning too, I guess. I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t worry ‘bout it. No big deal. I woulda flipped out too if I woke up with someone unexpectedly in my bed.”

“But not just that. I… keep falling back on you like some scared little girl. Haven’t even been able to fucking get one good night of sleep without having to beg you to…” her voice trailed off as she looked intently at the ground. “It’s ridiculous. I’m an adult. I shouldn’t need--”

“It’s okay to be scared, ya know.” He placed his hand over hers and offered a comforting smile.

“Huh?” Izzy looked first at his hand, and then up at him. It was unlike Guzma to be so sentimental.

“I mean, we’re all scared of shit, right? The whole fuckin’ reason I’m ‘big, bad Guzma’ is cause I’m scared.” The smile on his face fell flat, his eyes glazed over. “I’m… worried I might run into my dad one day. To be honest, I could probably kick his ass now with one hand tied behind my back. But still, the idea of even seeing him again… scares the shit outta me.” His tone became hushed as his gaze darkened. “What if I freeze in front of him? If I just suddenly become the cowardly lil’ boy I was before?”

“Guzma, you don’t--”

“But we keep going. We keep living. And eventually, we push those fears aside… ya know?” There was an awkward silence, and Guzma retreated into himself, scratching at his undercut nervously. “Actually, just forget it. I didn’t say--”

“Thanks, Guz. You’re right.”

“Really. Forget I said anything.” He turned away from her, drilling his gaze into the television with his usual scowl firmly plastered on his face once more.

Izzy smiled; Guzma really was something else. She shifted around to face the TV as well, but not before leaning herself against his side.

“But really, thanks. And don’t worry--if we ever see your dad around, I’ll be the first one to kick his ass.”

“And I’ll kick Team Rocket’s ass if they ever come near you again.”

“Deal."


	14. The Beach Episode

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shamelessly posts this a month late*  
> i will edit this one day i swear it

The days had begun to blend into each other again, and Izzy was more than happy to simply go with the flow for a while. Her and Guzma had fallen back into their routine--with the added protection of the international police, of course. Izzy didn’t mind it; in fact, it gave her a sense of peace that she so desperately desired.

It had been three days since they had won their quarterfinal match, and it would be another three days until they faced off in their semifinal. Of course with their stretch of luck, Izzy and Guzma would be facing Molayne and Plumeria, who had annihilated their last opponents. Izzy remembered watching the match with Guzma on TV--Plumeria’s Gengar had done practically all the heavy lifting in the match while Molayne’s Klefki inflicted their opponents with an onslaught of status conditions. It was a strategy similar to that of Lana and Mallow, but they pulled it off much more effectively, Gengar’s speed leaving no room for escape.

Izzy found herself a bit more nervous for their upcoming match than she was expecting. She couldn’t shake off the way Guzma’s skin had gone pale when Plumeria and Molayne won their match. He mentioned something about Plumeria looking more vicious than usual and was on edge for the rest of the day after the match had ended. He was right; Plumeria battled with an incredible intensity, as if she would barrel through an entire mountain if it dared to stand in her way. And with her and Molayne working together so well, the pair made for an unstoppable team.

_Well, hopefully not completely unstoppable._

Trying to best plan out their next strategy, Izzy had asked Guzma for any insight on Plumeria and her tactics. However, she was surprised by how short his responses were. She was lucky if she got more than two words out of him, and he refused to look at her, his gaze focused on the empty mug he chipped away at with his fingernails. It was obvious he wanted to drop the subject, and Izzy eventually relented, simply writing it off as Guzma being stressed over the fact he had to battle his best friend.

That had been two days ago, the day after Izzy had gotten--as Guzma so eloquently put it--completely drunk off her ass. Her time with Guzma after that had been incredibly tame in comparison, and Izzy was relishing in the subtle domesticity that had formed between them. After everything that had happened between them, they had finally fallen into a comfortable rhythm. Not only did Izzy and Guzma begin sleeping in the same bed regularly, but they no longer had any hesitation in sharing physical contact. When she was in the kitchen making tea, Guzma would sneak up behind her and casually lean his body against hers, and more often than not Izzy would gravitate towards him on the couch when they watched TV together.

But contrary to belief, it wasn’t cuddling. Absolutely not. Because Izzy was already swooning inside, and even _thinking_ that she was cuddling the gang leader she had fallen for would make her heart explode. She had only had a small crush on Guzma before, but now it was as if she couldn’t get him out of her head--or away from her side for that matter. They were together constantly, and in the few moments he wasn’t with her, he was at the forefront of her mind. Even the smallest details about him had slowly engraved themselves into her very core; the sets of half-hidden scars that ran up and down his entire body, the subtle black roots of his hair that were starting to break through the white dye, and especially the crooked smile he had, with the right side of his mouth always going up higher than the left. Arceus, she had it bad.

And with the way things had been going, Izzy began to wonder if he felt the same way. She noticed that he had become fiercely protective of her and more caring, which she hadn’t expected out of the notorious gangster. Although she was more than happy to have him stay at her apartment, he hadn’t left to check on Team Skull in ages, insisting that he needed to stay with her in case something happened. And, if she wasn’t mistaken, he appeared pleased--almost thrilled, in fact--when she finally requested that he slept in the same bed with her every night. And even moreso, she could have sworn she was catching him staring at her, his gaze quickly darting away and his face turned a light shade of pink each time he was caught.

It was all enough to drive the poor girl crazy.

\---

“Hey, Guz! Dinner is ready!” Izzy called out, carrying two heaping plates of food to her dining room table.

Guzma practically leapt off the couch and sprinted into the dining room, nearly falling over the chair he threw himself into. After Guzma had burned the last batch of Magikarp fillets, Izzy banned him from the kitchen, teasing him for his lack of cooking abilities.

“Did they come out better than the last batch?”

“Well, they aren’t burned to cinders, so I would say absolutely,” Izzy replied with a mischievous grin. Guzma scoffed in return. “But really, I think they came out pretty well! Should have probably gone a bit easier on the salt--”

Before Izzy could finish, Guzma began ferociously gorging down his meal, bits of food flying from his mouth as if he were a ravenous wild pokemon. Izzy couldn’t help but laugh; the sight was a bit gross, but she was happy that Guzma enjoyed her cooking.

“Holy shit, Iz,” Guz mumbled with his mouth full of food, “this is incredible! Where’d ya learn to cook like this?”

“It’s just a bit of Kanto flair is all. A traditional meal over there.” She stopped cutting her fish and pointed her fork towards Guzma. “And stop talking with your mouth full! You’re worse than Hau!”

Guzma rolled his eyes and continued devouring his meal. Izzy took a bite of her fish as well and was pleased; it was one of her better outcomes. Perhaps she hadn’t used too much salt after all.

_Oh wait, now that I brought up Hau…_

“Hey Guz, do you have any plans for tomorrow?”

He paused briefly, an inquisitive look on his face. “Besides us planning for the semifinals? Nah, ain’t got nothin’. Why d’ya ask?”

“Well, Hau wanted us to join him and Gladion on the beach tomorrow for a picnic. I guess he just wants some down time from the tournament.”

Guzma took another bite, still chewing as he responded much to Izzy’s displeasure. “Well, do you want to?”

“I’d like to go.” She poked at her food with her fork absentmindedly. “Would be nice to get away from things a bit, ya know? And besides, I love the beach.”

“Then let’s do it. On one condition.”

“And what’s that?”

“I get to have the last Magikarp fillet.”

“You can have half.”

“Deal!”

\---

After cleaning up the kitchen and changing into their pajamas, Izzy and Guzma made their way to bed. As had become the norm, Guzma laid down first and Izzy followed, curving her own figure around his as she had become so accustomed to. Tonight, she opted to be the “little spoon” and nuzzled her back against his chest. He hummed contentedly in response, wrapping his arm around her.

Yet as much as Izzy loved it, she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. To be frank, Izzy had never felt this vulnerable with anyone. Yeah, she had had her flings with Red and Blue, but had never been so… open? She couldn’t quite put her tongue on it, but the fluttering in her chest was getting more and more difficult to ignore.

_It doesn’t mean anything. Friends sleep together like this all the time. Right?_

“You okay, Iz?” Guzma asked, concern lacing his voice.

_Ah, fuck. Of course he noticed._

“Yeah, I’m good. Just…” Her voice trailed off, and she could feel her face heating up a bit.

“Izzy, if you don’t want me in here with you--”

“No!” She practically shouted, causing Guzma to jump. Her face burned even more; of course she had to embarrass herself like this. “Uh, s-sorry. I don’t want you to go, but…”

“But what?”

Izzy hesitated for a moment, then buried her head into her pillow, her face now a bright red. “Iss juss werr, yemoe?”

“Iz, I can’t hear ya with your face in the pillow.”

Izzy quickly regained some of her composure and repositioned her head. “S-sorry. I was just saying… It’s just a bit weird, ya know? You and I… like this.”

“Oh,” Guzma responded, shifting uncomfortably away from her. A small gap formed between him and her, and Izzy instantly regretted saying anything. “I mean. Uh. Yeah. I guess it is.”

“N-not that I don’t like it! It’s just.. I dunno, guess I’ve never felt so open with somebody.”

A sudden silence settled in, and Izzy felt a strange sense of coldness run between them. His body had only moved away from her for mere seconds, and she was already craving his warmth once again.

“You’re tellin’ me,” Guzma sighed, rolling over to lay on his back. “ I ain’t never talked to anyone about my dad and sure as hell ain’t… well…” His voice cut off awkwardly as if he wished he could take back what he had begun saying.

“Sure as hell ain’t what?”

Another silence passed between them as Guzma debated on whether or not to continue. Izzy awaited his response eagerly, relieved to know that the strange discomfort she felt could also be felt by Guzma.

“Uh… Well, it’s a bit TMI, but… I ain’t ever slept in the same bed with someone just to, ya know… sleep.” 

“Oh,” Izzy mumbled. For some reason, an even greater wave of relief fell over Izzy; it seemed that Guzma was on the same boat as her. “Honestly? Same. Guess that’s why this is so weird, huh?”

“Yeah, guess so.” 

The pair remained separated for a moment, neither of them wishing to ask the big question on both of their minds:

_What does this mean?_

“Are you still okay with this?” Guzma finally asked, rolling back on to his side but being careful to keep his space from her until getting Izzy’s O.K.

“Yeah. More than okay. I don’t think I’d be able to sleep without you now, to be honest.”

Guzma let out an airy laugh and moved closer to her, once again allowing the curve of her body to neatly align with his own. “Then let’s stick with it, yeah?”

Izzy nuzzled into him once again, feeling more secure than before. “Yeah, for sure. Here’s to getting used to our new normal.”

\---

_The sun was setting along the coast of Route 1 with the few remaining beams softly reflecting off the gentle waves. The Ledyba were buzzing, the Pikipek were chirping, and a pleasant sea breeze warmed Izzy’s skin as she stood beside Guzma._

_“Izzy, I’ve been tryin’ to figure out how to say it,” Guzma began, his hands holding hers, “but it’s like… the words just don’t do it justice, ya know?”_

_Izzy’s heart fluttered; was he about to say what she had been dying to hear for so long? That her feelings weren’t unrequited? She could feel her face heating up ever so slightly and glanced away in embarrassment._

_“Iz, I… I’ve had feelings for you for a long time now. As more than just a partner or friend.”_

_She turned back to him, eyes wide and mouth ajar. He said it! He liked her! Her chest felt as though it would explode, and she threw herself into his arms. “Guzma, I feel the same way about you.”_

_They stared into each other’s eyes, as if daring the other to make the next move. Izzy’s breaths were shaky, but she slowly inched closer to Guzma, closing her eyes--_

_But suddenly the pair was shrouded in darkness. The Pikipek and Ledyba were gone, the sky had gone pitch black, and the ocean became still. Izzy gripped at Guzma’s shirt as he wrapped his arms around her, both looking around, scared as to what was to come next._

_“You should have stayed out of my way.” The voice boomed all around them. Izzy’s eyes widened in horror. It was unmistakable._

_“Giovanni!”_

_A sudden burst of light beamed down upon the pair as a wormhole opened up directly above them. A swirling gust of wind erupted from it, whipping up against Izzy and Guzma. Izzy winced and let go of Guzma, her hands coming to her face to protect her eyes. Yet as soon as she let go of him, Guzma was lifted off his feet. As if some unseen force had taken ahold of him, he was getting dragged into the wormhole._

_“Izzy! Help!” He reached out his hand to her, yet no matter how hard she tried to run after him, she couldn’t reach him._

_And as quickly as it came, the wormhole was gone along with Guzma. And Izzy was left alone in the darkness._

\--- 

___“IZZY! GUZMA! WAKE UP!”_ _ _

___Both Izzy and Guzma awoke with a jolt. A series of loud _THUMPS_ on her front door followed the outburst, and Guzma audibly groaned._ _ _

___“Urg, does your lil _sunshine boy_ have to be such a fuckin’ menace in the mornings?” Guzma grumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes._ _ _

___But Izzy didn’t respond. His words didn’t even register; she was too caught up in what she remembered of her dream. It was like trying to grasp at straws--she could still feel the terror in her chest from what had happened, but her actual memory of the dream was already slipping away._ _ _

___“Iz? Are you crying?”_ _ _

___“Huh?”_ _ _

___Shaken out of her thought process, Izzy looked curiously over at him. He leaned towards her and gently placed his hand on her face, using his thumb to wipe away one of her tears._ _ _

___“Are you okay?”_ _ _

___“O-oh, yeah! I’m fine!” She quickly ducked out of his reach and wiped any remaining tears from her face. “Just a bad dream, I guess.”_ _ _

___“Another one?” Guzma seemed a bit disheartened, but was immediately distracted by another loud series of knocks on the front door. “Damn kids. Tell me about it later, yeah?”_ _ _

___“S-sure.”_ _ _

___The pair got up and opened the door, releasing a fully-energized Hau and a slightly-more-enthusiastic-but-still-edgy-as-hell Gladion into the apartment, both already fully clad in beach attire. Hau immediately headed for the kitchen and began raiding for food while Gladion sat on the couch, sighing heavily._ _ _

___“The hell are you two kids doin’ here so early?” Guzma grumbled, scratching at his bed head._ _ _

___“C’mon, Mr. Guzma! You know that the beach looks the nicest in the mornings!” Hau shouted from the kitchen. Gladion scoffed in response._ _ _

___“Whatever. Just… don’t steal all the food while we get ready.”_ _ _

___“No promises!”_ _ _

___\---_ _ _

___To be honest, Guzma hadn’t planned on having a “day out on the beach,” so he sure as hell didn’t pack a swimsuit. Yet, once again by some miracle, Izzy had a pair of swim trunks stored away that fit him perfectly--and even better, they were his favorite color: purple. He threw on an undone white button-up shirt, some sandals, and called it a day._ _ _

___Yet somehow, Izzy didn’t find it quite as easy to get ready for their “day out on the beach.” (™) Guzma sat on the bed, impatiently waiting for her to finish getting ready._ _ _

___“Iz, hurry up! How is it taking you so long?”_ _ _

___“Hold on! Just finishing up my hair!”_ _ _

___Guzma groaned and fell back onto the bed. Waiting was not his strong suit by any means._ _ _

___“Aaaaaaand… done!” The bathroom door shut behind Izzy as she walked into the bedroom. “How do I look?”_ _ _

___Guzma haphazardly looked up from the bed, and his jaw dropped instantaneously. Her hair was pinned up into a perfect messy bun, and a set of wide-rimmed sunglasses rested on her face. A bright, ruby red coating glistened on her lips along with just a hint of blush dusting her cheeks. A flowing, yellow sundress with Alolan floral print rested against her skin just above her knees._ _ _

___“You look, uh…” Guzma paused. _Stunning. Gorgeous. Amazing. Fuckin’ perfect._ “... Nice.”_ _ _

___\---_ _ _

___The walk to the beach was pleasant enough. Given that Izzy’s apartment was fairly close to the beach, the group of trainers were able to saunter over as casually as they deemed fit for the occasion. Izzy noticed that they had their fair share of onlookers as they traveled, but tried not to pay too much mind to them; after all, they all were about to compete in the semifinals of the Blitz. She supposed that the gawking stares from the Blitz fans were to be expected._ _ _

___When they arrived on the beach, Hau sprinted straight into the sea, Gladion snickering behind him as he half-heartedly followed after Hau. Izzy shifted her focus to finding the best possible spot for them to set up camp and ended up picking one right next to an abandoned sand castle._ _ _

___“Do you think here will work?” Izzy asked, turning around to look at Guzma. He grimaced, his eyes squinting in the bright sun._ _ _

___“I dunno, do ya think we could find something with a bit more shade?”_ _ _

___“Oh, c’mon, Guz! We’re out on the beach! Put on some sunscreen and stop being such a baby.” Izzy threw out one of the many towels she brought along, sticking her tongue out at Guzma playfully._ _ _

___“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” He did his best to look aggravated, but Izzy could just make out a hint of a smile on him._ _ _

___After laying out the rest of the towel, Guzma and Izzy laid out in the sun together. The beach heat was vibrant and pleasant; it nestled up against every inch of Izzy’s skin, melting away her fears and worries. She hummed contentedly, her love of the beach renewed once again._ _ _

___“Hey, Iz, are ya wearing a swimsuit under that?”_ _ _

___“Huh?” Izzy looked over to him, noting the devious smirk on his face. “Duh, ‘course I am. Why do you a--AAAAH! PUT ME DOWN!”_ _ _

___Before she could finish, Guzma had swooped her up into his arms, his smirk turning into a devilish grin as he began sprinting towards the ocean with her. She laughed and playfully poked and prodded at his arms, trying to escape his grip. She, of course, knew her efforts would be fruitless. He continued his voyage into the water, holding her tightly against his chest as he made his way out. Eventually, he made it to where the water was waist-deep on him, and Izzy was clinging onto him for dear life._ _ _

___“Wait, Guz, no!” Izzy pleaded with him in between bouts of laughter. “The water is cold! I don’t want to get wet yet!”_ _ _

___“Well it looks like you’re aboutta get soaked, princess,” he responded coyly. “Any last words?”_ _ _

____Princess?_ Izzy thought to herself. _Oh, he’s gonna regret that one!__ _ _

___Deciding to trick Guzma at his own game, Izzy mustered up the lustiest voice she could, and with half-lidded eyes, she whispered in his ear…_ _ _

_“Daddy, you’re gonna make me all wet.”_

And her plan worked seamlessly. Guzma’s entire body visibly stiffened up, his eyes grew wide in embarrassment, and his face became as red as a tamato berry. He was completely frozen. Seizing her moment, Izzy quickly shifted her body weight, causing both of them to completely fall under the water. Both quickly reemerged, Izzy laughing as Guzma spat water out of his mouth. He shook his head, droplets of water rapidly flying from his hair and splattering against Izzy’s face. 

“Damn! You’re a dirty dog, Iz,” Guzma stated matter-of-factly, splashing water at her playfully. Izzy laughed in return, splashing back at him. 

___\---_ _ _

___A few hours rolled by until it was eventually lunch time. Hala swung by and dropped off a fully loaded picnic complete with malasadas for everyone, and the group was devouring every bit of food they could get their hands on._ _ _

___Izzy took notice of the subtle bond that had formed between Hau and Gladion. When she had first seen the pair together, Gladion looked as though he couldn’t get away from Hau quick enough. However, now he seemed… different around him. It wasn’t anything particularly crazy, but Izzy noted how Gladion seemed to alway have his focus on Hau. Even when either her or Guzma was talking, Gladion would sneak looks over at Hau, as if to see if he was enjoying the conversation. Hau would also do the same, smiling every time Gladion did and laughing in unison with the boy. She knew they had been staying together as well at Hala’s place, and now the pair seemed inseparable. She wasn’t sure of the extent of their relationship, but was happy to see the two boys comfortable with each other._ _ _

___And speaking of unsure relationship statuses… she looked over at Guzma, who was contentedly listening to Hau go on about one of his adventures. Izzy marveled at the man; it was one of the few times she had seen him so genuinely happy and carefree. The typical crease marks on his forehead from grimacing so much were nowhere in sight, and the sun radiated off of his olive skin. His shirt was still damp from their skirmish in the sea, and it clung to his sides. The front of his chest was uncharacteristically exposed, and Izzy admired the rigid curves of it. He wasn’t insanely buff or ripped, but his muscle was pronounced enough to take notice. And oh, did she take notice._ _ _

___“Excuse me, are you Mr. Guzma?” A soft voice chirped from behind her. She looked over her shoulder and noticed a young boy, no older than eight, standing nervously behind her. She then turned to Guzma, who looked at the boy completely dumbfounded._ _ _

___“Uh… yeah, that’s me. Who’s askin’?”_ _ _

___“Adam, get back here!” Suddenly, a woman came running up, her skin as pale as a ghost’s. “We do _not_ go talking to strangers--”_ _ _

___“But mommy! It’s Mr. Guzma from the Blitz!” The boy’s original shy demeanor was completely replaced by an unbridled joy--he even began hopping excitedly in place. “He’s my favorite!”_ _ _

___The boy’s mother looked stressed; it was obvious that she didn’t want her boy going near Guzma--the infamous leader of Team Skull--but she was doing her best to not make a scene. “Adam, sweetie, let’s leave the nice people alone--”_ _ _

___“Mr. Guzma! Your Pokemon are the coolest! And you’re the toughest trainer ever! I think you can win the whole thing!” The boy had grabbed Guzma’s hand at this point and was bouncing up and down with it. Guzma remained unresponsive--he was still flabbergasted by the situation._ _ _

___Finally, the boy’s mother grabbed him by the hand and pulled him away, mumbling out a meek apology as she dragged him off. The boy waved at Guzma as he was pulled into the distance._ _ _

___“Wow, Guzma,” Gladion smirked, “looks like you’ve got yourself a fan.” The group laughed and Izzy clapped her hand onto his shoulder, giving him a hearty grin._ _ _

___“Huh.” Guzma still looked bewildered, but a hint of a smile began creeping onto his face. “Yeah, I guess I do have a fan.”_ _ _


	15. It's Just not Mutual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello this chapter has not been edited. But what's new.
> 
> I think this is the second longest chapter in the story so far? And I'm almost sure it's the longest battle scene I've written so far. Can't even tell you how many times I rewrote the damn thing.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

The day of team 52’s semifinal match came quicker that Izzy had expected. And while she had felt prepared for the match the day before, a sudden wave of doubt came over her the morning of. Guzma and Izzy had set up what she thought was a solid strategy for the battle, yet her concerns for the match loomed ominously over her.

 _Is it because of what happened with Team Rocket?_ Izzy asked herself. _No, I don’t think that’s it._

She sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in her hands, hoping it would help calm her nerves. Guzma was still asleep, and Izzy opted to let him sleep in and spend some time alone getting her wits about her. She couldn’t quite pinpoint where her anxiety was coming from. Yeah, she knew Plumeria and Molayne were going to be a tough pair to take down, but battling strong trainers wasn’t anything new to her.

Maybe… it had something to do with Plumeria?

_Oh, c’mon, Iz. Don’t be ridiculous._

But suddenly the pieces started coming together. Guzma and Plumeria were always by each other’s side before the tournament. Now, Guzma was constantly with Izzy, even going as far as living with her. Surely Plumeria would be kinda pissed that Izzy had stolen her best friend, right? And then there was also the fact that Izzy had fallen completely head over heels for Guzma. Yet while she was starting to believe that the feeling was mutual between them, she still wondered if he had feelings for Plumeria instead.

Not that she was jealous or anything. Because that would be stupid. Absurd. Ridiculous. Asinine. Jealousy was completely out of the question.

“G’mornin’,” Guzma grumbled, shuffling out of the hallway and into the kitchen.

“Oh, hey!” Izzy did her best to brush off her concerns for the match, giving Guzma a smile. “Ready for the match today?”

Guzma flopped himself into the other chair at the kitchen table. “No. I’m not.”

“O-oh. Is something wrong?”

“Jus’... stressed about facing Plumes. That’s all.”

“Oh.” Izzy sipped at her tea, shifting uncomfortably. “Uh… did something happen between you two? I know you two are friends, but… you’ve been dreading this match since we found out we would be battling her.”

Guzma huffed, staring intently at the ground. “None of your business, kid.”

 _Ouch._ That stung more than she would have expected it to. She had thought they moved to a point where they could be more open with each other, but it was blindingly obvious that that wasn’t the case. It was as if Guzma had suddenly become even more shut off than before.

Deciding not to push any further on the matter, Izzy continued to quietly sip at her tea. Guzma scowled, huffing once more.

\---

The rest of the morning passed in similar fashion. Izzy continued trying to battle her unease while Guzma remained sharp and rigid. Even when they checked in for their battle, Guzma snapped at the clerk for looking at him strangely. Izzy knew Guzma was often explosive, but this was even a bit out of the norm for him.

As they made their way down the hallway, Izzy and Guzma walked in relative silence. The sounds of their footsteps echoed down the corridor, but slowly became drowned out by the cheers coming from the arena. Izzy felt beads of sweat forming on her forehead. It was time for Guzma and Izzy to face off against Plumeria and Molayne, and Izzy was feeling sick to her stomach with nerves.

The pair stopped just before the entrance to the stadium. The sounds from the crowd were already almost deafening, and the match had yet to even begin. Izzy’s heart began to race eagerly, and she found her nerves becoming intertwined with her excitement; it was time to battle.

She turned to Guzma, expecting to see the usual pre-battle intensity that radiated from him, but was surprised when that wasn’t the case. Guzma’s aggressive demeanor from earlier in the day completely fell and was instead replaced by an unyielding wave of terror. He stood rigidly beside Izzy, his skin ghastly pale and his eyes wide. It was an uncharacteristic look for Guzma, one that made Izzy feel even more anxious. She tried desperately to shake off her nerves—she knew it was best if at least one of them had their wits about them—and intertwined one of her hands in his.

“Hey. We’ve got this, okay?” She looked up at him, offering an encouraging smile. Guzma swallowed, his Adam's apple shifting as he did so.

“I hope so.”

“And now,” the announcer’s voice boomed, “let’s welcome the team that all of Alola’s been talking about! Guzma and Izzy!”

Izzy gave Guzma’s hand one last squeeze before letting go. “Let’s go get ‘em, bug boy.”

The pair walked into the arena and were met with a boisterous explosion of cheers. The stands were overflowing with people; not a single inch of spare space could be seen. Izzy felt the cheers from the crowd vibrate within her core, and she took a deep breath, embracing the energy surging all around her. 

Above them hung their usual holographic visuals; an image of both Izzy and Guzma hovered in the air along with a smattering of stats that they had incurred throughout the tournament. Similar images with Plumeria and Molayne hovered on the other side, with the pair standing directly ahead of Izzy.

Plumeria was firmly planted to the ground, as if she dared anyone to attempt to move her. Molayne, on the other hand, appeared carefree, grinning as he bashfully scratched at the back of his head. The juxtaposition was laughable, but Izzy was far too anxious to find the humor in it.

The official in the middle of the stadium raised his flag, and a hush fell over the crowd. “Trainers,” he called out into the silence, “on my command!”

Izzy held a Pokeball in her hand, thumbing at the button anxiously. She ran over their strategy once more in her head; Guzma was going to be the heavy hitter of the match, and it was Izzy’s job to ensure he had the openings and protection necessary to do so.

“Release your Pokemon!”

Four different eruptions of red light shot out into the stadium. Izzy and Guzma sent out Tsareena and Golisopod, while Plumeria and Molayne released Salazzle and Metagross. Izzy knew going into the match that she was likely to be stuck with a bad type match up, but knew Tsareena was her best defensive Pokemon for the scenario. She gritted her teeth, silently hoping for the best.

“Same kick-off plan?” Guzma asked quietly.

“Yup. Full speed ahead.”

Satisfied with the scene laid before him, the official lifted the flag slightly higher. “Battle—” he brought down the flag with a quick snap of his arm—“begin!”

“First Impression!” Guzma called out. Golisopod eagerly obeyed, quickly disappearing from sight. A split second later, the bug reappeared by Metagross, landing a devastating hit and knocking the Pokemon into the stadium wall behind it. The crowd roared with excitement, and Golisopod reveled in it.

“Salazzle! Poison Fang!” Plumeria shouted, pointing towards the bug. Plumeria was more than aware of the opening that Golisopod had after using First Impression, and she intended to make the most of it. Salazzle complied with her command, bearing down on all fours and sprinting towards Golisopod. The lizard’s mouth began oozing with a sickly purple liquid, leaving a smattering of it in its wake as it tore across the stadium.

Izzy smirked; she had predicted this play the day before. “Tsareena, now!”

Just as the lizard was close enough to leap towards Golisopod, a series of thick, powerful vines erupted from the ground, blocking Salazzle from landing its attack. However, as the vines came collapsing down, Salazzle was able to dodge them with ease. Izzy frowned; it became obvious that the lizard’s agility would be an issue throughout the match.

Then suddenly, without warning, a blinding light accompanied by a loud _kreeeeeeeen!_ tore across the stadium. It bore directly into Tsareena and launched her across the stadium, burying her into the wall on the other side.

“What?!” Izzy yelled frantically. Where the hell had that come from? Following where the Hyper Beam came from, she saw Metagross reemerging from the wall, looking a bit battered but still ready for more. Her jaw dropped; Molayne hadn’t even called out a command! She had been completely blind sided by the attack, and she didn’t know if Tsareena would be able to continue fighting after a hit like that.

“Golisopod! Get that damned Metagross out of here!” Guzma yelled, his eyes wide and fists tightly clenched.

With a roar, Golisopod became shrouded in a current of viciously churning water and charged at Metagross. Izzy looked on in awe; Golisopod were typically a very slow Pokemon, but Guzma had equipped his with moves such as First Impression and Liquidation that allowed it to make up for their lack of speed through attacks themselves. Golisopod was tearing across the stadium at a breakneck pace, and there was nothing Metagross could do about it.

However, there was one creature that could match Golisopod’s pace in the stadium, and it was chasing after him with another Poison Fang attack. Easily catching up to the bug, Salazzle latched its jaw onto Golisopod, stopping it dead in its tracks as it tried to pry the lizard off of it. Satisfied with the attack, Salazzle leapt off Golisopod and retreated a safe distance away.

The crowd watched in silence. The danger of a successful Poison Fang attack was never in the damage caused directly, but rather whether or not the Pokemon became badly poisoned from it. Izzy and Guzma looked on in terror; they couldn’t afford to have their heavy hitter deal with being poisoned the whole match.

_Please, please don’t be poisoned!_

Despite Izzy’s pleas, the inevitable came. Golisopod’s scales suddenly became tinged with a noticeable purple color, and the crowd gasped. The poisoning had just set in.

 _“Shit!”_ Guzma yelled, his fingers digging into hair. “We don’t stand a chance!”

Izzy’s heart dropped—Guzma was right. With Tsareena completely out of play and Golisopod being poisoned, their chances dropped from slim to none. It was just a matter of time.

“Alright, Metagross!” Molayne called out. “Finish him off with a Zen Headbutt!”

Metagross huffed and flew into action, its body coated in a blinding energy. It charged straight towards Golisopod, unwavering in its intent.

“Dodge it!” Guzma was desperate at this point, throwing his hands forward as if he could move his partner out of trouble himself. Golisopod tried to move out of the way, but had no means of matching Metagross’ speed. It was over.

That is, until another large vine erupted from the ground directly underneath Metagross. The Pokemon was thrown completely off course and sent tumbling across the stadium. Izzy’s head whipped around; Tsareen was still standing, and she still had some fight left in her.

“Yes! That’s my girl!” Izzy cheered, unable to contain her glee. “Guzma!” She quickly turned to her partner. “I need you to charge at Salazzle with Liquidation! I’ll take care of the rest!”

“What?! But that’s—”

_“Just do it!”_

Groaning angrily, he followed Izzy’s command, and Golisopod became shrouded in water and tore across the stadium once again, this time targeting that damned lizard. As it got closer, Salazzle began to retreat, looking for the best way to dodge the hit.

“Tsareena, now! Razor Leaf!”

On command, Tsareena spun rapidly, releasing an onslaught of razor-edged leaves toward Salazzle. Except the leaves weren’t going directly after the lizard, but rather just behind her. Salazzle froze dead in its tracks for just a moment. The Razor Leaf attack had cut off Salazzle’s escape route just enough to give Golisopod a perfect opening. Golisopod took full advantage of the opening, obliterating Salazzle with a fully loaded Liquidation attack, spiking the Pokemon directly into the ground.

The crowd went absolutely berserk; Guzma and Izzy had yet again managed to turn the tables in a seemingly impossible situation. Izzy’s plan had worked.

“Zen Headbutt again!” Molayne suddenly called out, and the Metagross took full charge at Golisopod.

Guzma looked over to Izzy, a look of determination in his eyes. “I’ll take out Salazzle now! You’ve got the rest!”

“What?”

With a wicked smirk, Guzma turned his attention back to the battle. “Use Salazzle as a shield!”

And it all made sense. Golisopod wasn’t going to last much longer with the poisoning, so he intended to at least take Salazzle down with him. Golisopod grabbed Salazzle as it tried to escape and held it in front of him, using its many arms to hold the lizard back. Salazzle did its best to try to wriggle out of its confinements, but Golisopod had no intentions of letting go.

Molayne tried to call back the attack, but it was too late. Metagross made direct contact with Golisopod and Salazzle, sending them both tumbling across the stadium. The crowd gasped in horror, and Izzy couldn’t help but look on.

The two Pokemon were slumped on the ground, unable to battle. Only Tsareena and Metagross remained, and both looked like they could fall at any moment.

Izzy quickly sized up her situation. She was once again at a type disadvantage, but with how worn down Metagross was, she figured that one or two well placed hits would finish it off. However, the same could be said for Tsareena. She had the benefit of speed on her side, but Metagross had also proven its deadly accuracy with the Hyper Beam it had fired off from across the stadium. She had to find a way to distract it enough to get close and land a solid hit.

And it hit her. She had a golden opportunity to try a strategy she and Tsareena had practiced, but it would completely wear down Tsareena; if it didn’t work, it was game over.

“Tsareena! New plan!” Izzy called out. Tsareena turned and looked over curiously. “Roll out the ‘vine forest’ strategy!”

With an eager nod, Tsareena went to work. As if summoning every ounce of strength she had left, Tsareena summoned one of the most powerful Power Whip attacks Izzy had ever seen. Vines began erupting from the ground all over the stadium, completely surrounding Metagross. As the strategy name implied, it looked like a forest of vines had suddenly made the stadium its home.

And one by one, the vines began whipping around erratically, and Metagross began desperately trying to avoid the attacks. The Pokemon ducked and dipped as if trying to perform a dance. However, its bulky, metallic build made it difficult for Metagross to dodge the vines. Just as planned, Metagross was completely occupied by the vines; Tsareena just needed to find the right moment to land her final hit.

And the moment came, when there was just a split opening between the vines, Tsareena flew into it with a wild Trop Kick. Izzy held her breath; once Tsareena was in the vine forest, Izzy was unable to see anything that happened. She only hoped and prayed her plan worked.

A loud _BANG!_ echoed throughout the stadium. The vines all suddenly stopped moving and slumped to the ground, but they still blocked the view of whatever had just happened. Both Izzy and Guzma were completely frozen. Had they done it?

The officials began slowly walking towards the strange mound of vines, trying to make sense of the situation, until the vines suddenly began moving again, this time slowly being pulled back into the ground. A hushed mumble began reverberating throughout the stadium as the crowd looked on.

And the two Pokemon were revealed. Metagross was knocked out cold, with Tsareena standing victoriously on top of it.

The crowd went absolutely wild. The cheers quickly became deafening as the officials awarded the match to Izzy and Guzma. Both Izzy and Guzma ran out onto the battlefield towards Tsareena and tackled her, drowning the Pokemon in praise. It was a pitiful dogpile in terms of numbers, but it was by far one of the greatest moments of Izzy’s life.

“We did it! I can’t believe we did it!” Izzy gushed, tears of joy streaming down her face.

Guzma laughed and stood up, eagerly lifting Izzy off the ground with him. He was beaming ear to ear; they really did it. They made it to the championship match!

Yet when he looked up from Tsareena and over to where Plumeria was standing, the smile was wiped clean from his face. Curious as to what caused his reaction, Izzy followed his gaze and saw Plumeria. She was crying, her head buried in her hands as Molayne attempted to comfort her. Molayne had approached her from behind and placed his hands on her shoulders, but she shoved them away and sprinted out of the arena. Molayne chased after her, and the pair was gone.

Guzma had gone rigid yet again. Izzy’s heart sank. Yeah, they had just won the semifinal match, but it seemed as though Guzma had lost his best friend.

\---

The bass at the bar casually thrummed to an unusual beat. A group of teens were out dancing on the dance floor--many of them Team Skull grunts out celebrating Guzma’s latest win—as Izzy and Guzma sat at the counter, each with a drink in hand.

Olivia had insisted that they go out that night to celebrate yet again. This time, Izzy had been the one wanting to go home, whereas Guzma had agreed to it, hoping to get his mind off of whatever the hell had happened with Plumeria. Izzy and Guzma had sat in relative silence for most of the night, only speaking to thank a fan who wanted to congratulate them for their win.

“Guzma, are you okay?” Izzy finally asked, her voice meek. “You’ve been aggravated since the battle today.”

“Don’t wanna talk about it.” He took another long sip from his glass of whiskey, refusing to peel his eyes off the wall directly ahead of him.

“Please, Guz. I know it has something to do with Plumeria—”

 _“Don’t.”_ The single word that escaped his mouth was jaded, and it sent a chill down Izzy’s spine. She complied with his request and returned to her drink.

“Hey, Izzy! Guzma!” Hau suddenly slinked in between the two, beaming at the pair. “Congrats on your match today! Can you believe that if we win our match tomorrow that we’ll be battling in the final together?”

Izzy tried her best to plaster a smile on her face. “Oh, yeah! Pretty crazy, right?”

“Fuckin’ wild, kid,” Guzma grumbled, taking another drink. Hau looked as though he were going to say something to Guzma, but Izzy silently warned him not to.

“O-okay, um… Hey, Iz, did you want to go dance with me and Gladion? I’m trying to get him to dance with me, but he seems a bit embarrassed. Maybe you joining us will help?”

Izzy would be lying if she said she wasn’t relieved by the request. She had been hoping that Guzma may have wanted to dance, but he was in no mood for it. “Yeah, I’d love to! Be back in a bit, Guz.”

Hau took Izzy’s hand and guided her over to Gladion, who was nervously standing just outside of the dance floor. Gladion noticed the boy and became flustered. “Hau, I told you I’m not dancing—”

“Oh, c’mon! It’ll be even more fun with the three of us!”

With that, Hau also took Gladion’s hand and dragged the two out onto the dance floor. Hau began dancing like the overzealous teenager he was, his legs and arms flailing in all directions, while Gladion resorted to a casual side-step, rocking back and forth. Hau was having the time of his life, and while Gladion seemed uncomfortable, he looked to be enjoying his time with the boy. Izzy chuckled; the pair was adorable. And if she wasn’t mistaken, there was a blush creeping up on Gladion’s face.

After dancing with the boys for a few songs, Izzy made to head back to the counter, but was stopped by a man with slightly shaggy black hair and an orange tank-top. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she grimaced; he reeked of alcohol. 

“Heyyyyyy sexy lady. You’re Izzy Arnolds, riiight? Like, from tha Blitz?” His words were slurred, and he swayed slightly as his grip on her shoulder tightened.

“Ha ha, yeah. That’s me.” She tried to slink her way past him, but he managed to keep his body in front of her, blocking her escape route.

“Yo, can I… see your scarrr?” Before waiting for a response, he started to grab at her shirt. Izzy slapped his hand away, backing up into the crowd.

“Okay, look. You’re drunk, so I’ll let you off easy. But back off.”

“C’mon, Izzzzzzy!” He dragged her name out for what felt like an eternity; Izzy felt like she was going to be sick. “Jus’ a peak, thas all I’m askin’ for!”

_This asshat is really trying to make me get into a fight after our semifinal victory? Bullshit._

Izzy shoved him off of her, garnering the attention of the dancers around her. He shot her a dirty look, his ego obviously taking a heavy hit. “Look, I said back off! Touch me one more fucking time—”

Suddenly, his body slumped forward as he attempted to throw a punch at her. Izzy dodged it with ease considering his aim was far from perfect, but nevertheless, the man had started up a fight. The dancers surrounding began backing up, leaving a small, circular space for the pair to duke it out.

_This is why I wanted to go home, but noooooo. Guzma wanted to go party. Of fucking course._

The man re-balanced himself, then charged at her again, throwing another drunken swing. Izzy didn’t even really have to move; he aimed so poorly that he missed her entirely. He ended up tumbling to the floor, the crowd gasping as a result.

“Look, dude, just take the L and go home. Got it?”

He fumbled his way back onto his feet, gnashing his teeth at her like a rabid Pokemon. Izzy felt her stomach turn in disgust; this guy was a public menace.

“Fuck you, ya bitch!”

Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed the man and whipped him around. Izzy’s chest tightened up; she would recognize that blinding white hair from anywhere.

“Wanna try that again?” Guzma held the man by his shirt, pulling him close to look him dead in the eye. Guzma was taller than the man, so Guzma’s hold on him made the man struggle to stand on his toes. “Or do ya need some convincing?”

The bar became oddly still. The thrum of music could still be felt, but all the dancers had become spectators, eagerly awaiting to see what would come next. The man looked wide-eyed at Guzma, and his skin became pale with fear.

“I-I-I—”

“You’ll what?” Guzma snarled at the man. Izzy’s heart stopped; the last thing she wanted was for Guzma to get into a skirmish for her sake.

“I’ll go home!”

With his response, Guzma threw the man to the ground; he landed with a dull _thud_ and scrambled to escape the bar as fast as he could. The bar remained still for a moment, all eyes on the gang leader.

“The fuck y’all lookin’ at?” Guzma shot back at the onlookers. They nervously looked away and eventually returned back to dancing. He turned his attention to Izzy. “C’mon, let’s get outta this joint.”

Izzy followed him out of the bar and walked alongside him in relative silence. She was grateful for Guzma’s intervention with the man from before, but was still nervous about talking to him. His face carried its usual scowl once again; it was obvious that Guzma was still upset about Plumeria.

Regardless, she desperately wanted to talk to the man. Wanted to help him feel better. She just wasn’t entirely sure how to do that.

“H-hey, Guz?”

“Hm.”

“I just wanted to say thanks. For earlier.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“But really,” Izzy continued, “thank you. Nobody else did anything to help me, and I probably would have actually had to—”

“I said don’t mention it,” Guzma deadpanned back, still looking straight ahead.

Izzy stopped in her tracks. She felt surprisingly cold, and even more so empty. It was as if Guzma had just thrown up some wall between him and her, and Izzy was desperately trying to make her way over it. However, each of her attempts kept getting squashed.

Guzma continued on for a few more steps until he realized she had stopped. He turned back to look at her, and his heart fell. She looked surprisingly fragile; her arms were wrapped around her, and her gaze was sadly fixed on the floor, her hair falling in such a way to cover most of her face. He sighed, scratching at his undercut.

“Iz…” He began to speak, but his voice trailed off.

“Just talk to me, Guz. Please?”

He huffed. “It’s not that easy—”

“Well of course it’s not that easy when you keep shutting me out!” Izzy suddenly burst out, her eyes misty. Guzma looked at the ground dejectedly. She took a deep breath, recomposing herself. “You haven’t even looked at me since the match today. Just… can you tell me what’s wrong at least?”

Guzma sighed once again, making it a point to avoid eye contact with Izzy. A slight blush crept up his face as he pondered on how to put things into words.

“Look, Iz… it’s not you. You haven’t done anythin’ wrong.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s…” he felt his voice catch, struggling to make the words come out. _Just fuckin’ spit it out, Guzma._ “It’s Plumeria.”

“O-oh. Yeah, I saw she was really upset after the match.” Izzy hesitated a moment, as if wondering whether or not to pry further. “Did something happen between you two?”

Guzma silently gave thanks to the island deities for having the street empty, because he could feel his voice begin to quiver. Regardless, he pushed on. “Yeah, kinda. It was while you were in the hospital.”

“Oh.” She took a step closer, looking at him in earnest. “What happened?”

“She, uh…” Guzma found himself struggling with what to say. He didn’t want to admit what Plumeria had told him—that she thought Izzy was his person, let alone that he now agreed with her—but he couldn’t tell the whole story without that fact. He did his best to leave it out. “She told me she had feelings for me. As more than just a friend.”

Izzy was shell-shocked to say the least, her eyes wide and mouth agape. Guzma scoffed lightly at the image; it was adorable.

“Shit, Guz. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“‘Cause it didn’t matter.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look,” Guzma huffed, becoming more frazzled by the situation, “it just… didn’t matter. She knows I don’t like her like that.”

“Well, obviously it matters, Guz,” Izzy responded softly, taking one of her hands in his. “She’s still your friend. I’m sure it didn’t feel good to have to hurt her like that.”

“You’re tellin’ me,” Guzma scoffed, a half-smile forming on his face.

“But listen, Guz,” Izzy began, giving his hand a squeeze, “it’s just part of life. Things will go back to normal as time passes. Just… give her some space for now. She’ll come back around in her own time. C’mere.”

With that, Izzy pulled him into a hug, and Guzma surprisingly melted into it. As usual, Izzy had managed to make him feel better about the situation. He hoped she was right; he cared about Plumeria and hated the idea of losing her. But she obviously would need her space to get her head around things again.

But he did notice something while holding her close.

“Iz, you’re freezing. Have ya been cold this whole time?”

“O-oh, uh…” She smiled bashfully. “Yeah, but I didn’t really want to complain about it.”

“Here.” He took off his hoodie and wrapped it around her. “This should help.”

And Guzma’s heart absolutely melted. Her eyes widened and her face turned a bright red. The hoodie was obviously too big on her, and it hung loosely on her shoulders, reaching a good way down her thighs. She looked adorable in it.

He silently wondered how she would look in _just_ his hoodie.

“U-uh, yeah. It helps a lot.” Her voice was timid and meek, but she grabbed at the hoodie to wrap it tighter around her body. “Thank you.”

The rest of the walk back was in relative silence, but this time it was much more comfortable. Guzma felt a bit chilly without his hoodie considering he only now had his white tank covering his upper body, but he gladly accepted the chill in return for Izzy’s warmth. Izzy also seemed more at peace with the day’s events; she even seemed to have a bit of a half-grin on her face.

Upon arriving at the apartment, the pair checked in with the officer on watch and made their way inside. All was well.

Until Izzy noticed a small letter on the table.

“Hey, Guz, the officer said nobody was in here today, right?” She asked curiously, opening up the envelope.

“Yeah. Maybe the letter is from them?” Guzma was preoccupied with taking his shoes off, still standing in the doorway.

“That would be weird—” Izzy’s voice suddenly cut off, causing Guzma to look up at her. And he felt his heart sink.

Her body had gone completely rigid. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her fingers had torn into the paper with how hard she gripped the note. She was terrified.

“Iz? You okay?”

Without looking away, two simple words fell out of her mouth. “They’re here.”

“What?”

Izzy suddenly went into absolute hysterics. She dropped the note at the table and ran to Guzma, shoving him out of the apartment. He tried to grab her shoulders to calm her down, but she refused to be subdued.

“Get out! _We have to get out!”_

“Izzy, hold on—”

She suddenly blew by him, sprinting out the apartment. He stood in awe, his mind reeling at what had just happened. She continued to beg him from outside the apartment to escape, but he instead went to retrieve the note to see just what had triggered Izzy so badly.

It was a papyrus card that had a luxurious cursive script written in red ink. It simply read the following:

_Best of luck in your championship match._

_—Giovanni._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >:)


	16. The Call to Action

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've recently started my job again (we def shouldn't have opened up yet but I hella need moneyyyyy lolololol but I digress) and ironically, it's given me a lot more time to write since I mostly sit at a counter by myself. We pumpin these chapters out baybeeeeeee
> 
> Also we are FINALLY digging into the overarching plot and I am READY!! Hope y'all enjoy :)

It had been about an hour since Izzy and Guzma had first entered the apartment. Now, the international police were scouring the place, turning every inch of it over to figure out just how Team Rocket had managed to get in. There had to have been at least fifty agents all investigating Izzy’s apartment, yet not a single one of them managed to yield any results.

Looker furrowed his brow, his fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose in dismay. Guzma was sure he blamed himself. The detective was obviously beyond stressed, and his typical calm demeanor was completely replaced by a certain on-edge anxiety that didn’t seem to fit his character.

But Guzma doesn’t care about any of that. No, the only thing that mattered to him at the moment was Izzy, who had once again become an empty shell of herself. He had remained by her side the entire night, holding her against his chest and making sure his hoodie was wrapped around her appropriately. Her eyes were red from crying, but her face was flat, emotionless, as if she had finally broken down.

He couldn’t get her initial reactions out of his mind, either. She had looked completely terrified, as if staying a moment longer in the apartment would have destroyed the entire planet. And when Guzma had finally come out after the apartment to join her, she had thrown herself at him, desperately clinging to his shirt and sobbing.

 _I don’t know what they want!_ The words echoed in his head. She sounded hurt and desperate for peace. _They won’t leave me alone!_

But now she sat in silence.

“Well,” Looker finally said as he approached them, running his hands through his hair, “we can’t find anything. No prints. No evidence. Not even a trace of someone being here.”

“Did you really expect to?” Izzy deadpanned, still looking straight ahead.

“Isabel, I’m so, so sorry. I wish there was something I could do—”

“But you can’t.” Her voice was sharp, angry. “Nobody can.”

Looker sighed dejectedly, but continued. “I’ll be leaving the entire special force here tonight. They’ll be patrolling the area from now on—”

“Don’t.”

“What?” Guzma asked, stunned. “Izzy, don’t ya think—”

“This is my battle now. It always has been. Only I can stop this.”

“Isabel, please—”

“No, you listen!” Izzy suddenly shot upright, shouting into Looker’s face. “What good have you ever done for me, Looker?! You called me and Red and Blue to save Silph co. because your sorry-ass police force couldn’t do _shit!_ You sent in _three kids_ to do your job! And we all almost died! And now—” she pointed a finger directly between his eyes—“you let fucking Team Rocket slip into my apartment?!”

Looker stared at her, his mouth slightly ajar and eyes fleeting; he was obviously hurt. Yet he did not rebuttal nor rebuke her.

“I’ll take care of this by myself, like I always have!”

A silence loomed; the officers investigating had stopped to watch the scene unfold. Guzma could only sit and watch as well. Izzy was in an unstoppable rage—and rightly so. 

Looker was the first to break the silence. “Very well. We will remain out of your way.” He held two fingers to his mouth and whistled, and the international police left the premises without another word.

Izzy remained standing, while Guzma was still seated on a bench. He swallowed; he didn’t dare speak.

“I want you to leave, too, Guzma.”

A painful pang shot through his chest. She wanted him gone?

“Iz, hold on—”

“I’m not dragging you into this.” Her voice was shaking. She turned towards him, tears streaming down her face once again. “I can’t let you get hurt because of me.”

He stood up and stepped towards her, but she backed away as he did so. Although the space between them couldn’t have been more than three meters, it felt as though she were miles away. His throat began to hurt; he was trying not to get upset.

“Izzy, stop. I’m not leaving.”

She shook her head, looking down at her feet. “Guzma, I—”

“I’m not leaving you!” He was shouting at this point, feeling a fury building inside of him.

_Why am I so angry?_

Izzy fell silent, finally daring to make eye contact with Guzma again. She looked small, timid, and absolutely crushed. She pulled his hoodie around her tighter, as if doing so would protect her from further harm.

“I couldn’t save Red,” she managed to choke out, “but I can still save you. Please, Guzma.”

And it made sense. She wanted to keep Guzma out of harm’s way. She couldn’t protect her friends from before, but this time she had an opportunity to. Guzma smiled sadly to himself; she must really care about him.

“But Iz, there’s one problem with that,” Guzma began, slowly walking towards her. This time, she didn’t attempt to keep her distance.

“What… What do you mean?”

“You’ve played hero for so long, Izzy.” He took another step, and was pleased to see that she once again didn’t retreat away. “Don’t ya think it’s time for…” His voice trailed off, as if embarrassed to finish his statement.

“Time for what?”

Guzma held his breath for a moment before finally working up the courage to continue. “For someone to finally protect you?”

Seizing his moment, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest again. She tensed up at first, but quickly melted into his embrace, her fingers once again gripping into his shirt. Her shoulders softly shook; she was crying.

“I can’t… I can’t let you…”

“Why not?”

“Because… I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Guzma laughed softly, moving to caress her face in his hands and direct her gaze towards his. “I don’t want ya to get hurt either, Iz. See how we’re on the same page there?”

Izzy let out an airy laugh as she wiped away her tears. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Look, let’s stick it out a lil’ while longer together, yeah? We can try to keep each other outta trouble.”

Izzy nodded and buried her head into his chest once again. He held her close.

He swore once again that he would protect her.

\---

After double checking and then triple checking the apartment, Izzy and Guzma deemed it safe enough to reenter for the night. It was getting late into the evening, and the pair had grown weary with the day’s numerous events. Guzma had fallen asleep next to Izzy on the couch, his mouth agape and drool trickling out ever-so-slightly.

However, sleep would not come to Izzy. Nor did she expect it to, really. She could still feel herself on edge, flinching at every small sound she heard. She even almost had a heart attack when the tea kettle she had forgotten she put on started to whistle. It was going to be a long night.

For the life of her, Izzy could not stop thinking about the note. Giovanni was certainly not one to go through the trouble of leaving a note simply to instill fear for no reason. No, there had to be something more to it. Izzy was certain of that. Perhaps it had a secret message on it? Maybe it was a riddle? The possibilities were endless.

Unable to quell her curiosity, Izzy carefully stood up from the couch, making sure not to wake Guzma. Of course, she could have probably pounced him and he would have slept through it; the poor guy was exhausted from the day. She made her way to the kitchen, grabbed the note off the counter, and carefully reread the phrase on it.

_Best of luck in your championship match._

_—Giovanni_

It was completely straight-forward. Izzy had no idea what to make of it. The words were neatly scrawled in Giovanni’s hand-writing in the center of the paper, the rest of the sheet blank aside from a few spots that appeared to be dried out, as if a small amount of liquid had been on it previously.

_Wait._

In a sudden flurry, Izzy brought the note over to the stove and turned on one of her gas burners. She held the paper just above the heat, waiting only a few moments until a series of faint, brown letters began to appear.

 _Wow, wasn’t expecting that from Giovanni._ He had created “invisible ink” with diluted Aspear juice. Izzy fondly remembered her and Red sharing notes written with the invisible ink just to piss off blue. It was a childish trick, really, but it got the job done.

The brown letters slowly became more prominent until they finally revealed a hidden message:

_The farthest hollow in Ten Carat Hill, midnight. Come alone._

“Midnight?” She whispered softly to herself. She quickly looked at her phone screen: it was 11:47pm. Her expected meeting time was only minutes away.

Flustered, she reached for her purse and pulled out her ride pager, summoning a ride-Charizard as quickly as she could. The small gadget was surprisingly difficult to operate—or perhaps it was her shaking hands that were making the process so tedious.

She decided to leave her purse, but brought her trainer’s belt with her Pokemon equipped—her Primarina, Kommo-o, Tsareena, and Ribombee. Before leaving the apartment, she took one last look at Guzma; he was still out cold, snoring loudly.

She silently prayed to any god that would listen that it wouldn’t be the last time she saw him.

\---

The ride-Charizard had arrived in record time, and thanks to its incredible power and speed, Izzy made it to the farthest hollow in Ten Carat Hill with two minutes to spare. Although she had expected to be nervous, shaking, and terrified beyond comprehension, she was surprised to find that instead, a strange numbness had trickled into her bones. It was as if her body was trying to prepare her for the worst.

She dismounted and sent the Charizard off, hoping to spare it from whatever was about to happen.

“Isabel. I’m so glad you could make it, dear.”

Izzy whipped her head around. There was no mistake—it was Giovanni’s voice. She could make out the outline of his body, but he stood ominously in the shadows.

“I’m alone, like you asked. What do you want, Giovanni?” Her voice was unwavering, surprisingly.

“Where are your manners, Isabel?” He questioned sarcastically. He stepped out into the moonlight, the beams of light falling harshly on his pale skin. His eyes were hardened and cold, and Izzy could easily make out the crimson R on his suit. He was followed by a Fearow that towered over him. The bird glared at Izzy, as if daring her to make a move. “Not even a ‘hello?’”

“I’m not here for games. You know that.”

He smirked. “Of course I know that, child. And please, I insist you calm down; I have no intention of hurting you.”

Izzy’s felt no relief in his claims—she knew what kind of monster she was dealing with.

“Then why call me here?”

“To clear the air, of course. And to give you a warning.”

Curious, she allowed her defenses to slightly fall. “What do you mean?”

He took a few steps closer; Izzy had to force herself not to retreat. “I have been made aware of a truly _awful_ attack that you had to deal with. Apparently, one of my administrators, Archer, had taken it upon himself to attempt to kill you in the Blitz.”

Izzy’s eyes widened. She knew she recognized the trainer who had attacked her! Archer had gone under a fake name—“Liam”—and entered the tournament! He was the only Rocket Administrator to survive the fall of Silph Co..

“Don’t act like you didn’t know about it,” Izzy stated. “You wanted me killed!”

“Isabel, my dear,” Giovanni cooed, feigning dismay, “what on earth would make you think that? I never ordered him to do any such thing.”

“Wait… what?”

“Archer acted within his own intentions. He wanted revenge.” Giovanni took another step towards her, and this time Izzy could help but step back to maintain some semblance of distance between them.

“So you didn’t try to get me killed?”

He laughed boisterously. “Not this time, dear! Yes, I am a monster, but I would _hate_ to put such brilliant talent to waste if I don’t have to. I’m still hoping you’ll join our ranks soon enough.”

“O-oh.” Izzy’s voice was beginning to falter. A strange sense of relief fell over her.

“Archer acted strictly against my orders, and trust me when I say he is being _thoroughly punished.”_ The words curled off his tongue with a venomous edge. Izzy shuddered at the idea.

The wind suddenly picked up, and the Fearow that had been hovering in the background picked up its gaze, looking around as if sensing a presence nearby. Giovanni took notice of it too, but pushed aside any concern.

“Now that we’ve cleared the air,” Giovanni began, “I want to give you a warning. Team Rocket came to Alola in search of something. Our journey here has nothing to do with you. We can leave you in peace for the rest of your days so long as you let us go about our business. You have my word.”

Izzy felt a strange weight lift off her chest. Peace? They would leave her alone if she didn’t interfere with them? She had wanted to leave behind her past with the Rockets for so long, and now Giovanni was giving her the chance to do so on a silver platter.

“However,” his voice cut into the silence, “if you dare to stand in our way, I will not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to make sure Team Rocket sees success. After all, it was truly a shame what happened to your friend, Red.” Izzy’s body completely froze; Giovanni grinned vilely, his eyes glistening in the moonlight. “I would _hate_ to see the same thing happen to you.”

_“You think you can threaten her like this?”_

Both caught off guard, Izzy and Giovanni quickly turned to find a man with blindingly white hair storming towards them from behind a boulder. It was Guzma, and he was blinded by rage. Izzy’s chest suddenly felt crushed, as if she couldn’t breathe.

_He’s not supposed to be here._

“Guzma, stop! You don’t know what you’re doing!” She cried, running up to him and pushing her hands against his chest, desperate to stop him. She cast a look over her shoulder to Giovanni. “Please, don’t do anything to him! I came alone, I swear!”

_“You’re fucking crazy if you think I’ll let you get away with that!”_

Izzy desperately fought to hold him back, tears streaming down her face. Her worst fear had been realized; Guzma was going to be killed for trying to protect her. She pleaded with him, but he was unwavering in his mission. Giovanni stood back and laughed at the scenario; the sound made Izzy sick.

“And this is your partner, Isabel? This deadbeat, has-been gangster?” Giovanni called out, still laughing. “Guzma, was it?”

Even more enraged, Guzma finally managed to brush past Izzy and charged directly at Giovanni. Unflinchingly, Giovanni snapped his fingers, and the Fearow behind him whipped up a wild gust. The winds were powerful enough to cut into Izzy’s skin, and even Guzma was knocked back by it. She covered her face with her hands, trying to stove off the brunt of the hit.

With another snap, the winds died down, and Izzy sprinted over to Guzma. His face was twisted up in pain, and a few small, bleeding cuts could be seen on his skin, but otherwise he was alive and well. Kneeling by his side, she tenderly caressed his face as she checked for any other signs of injury.

“You two have got some guts, I’ll give you that much,” he laughed, turning his back on them as he walked towards his Fearow. “I’ll let you in on a secret. Have you ever heard of the Ultra Beasts that reside in this region?”

Izzy looked up for only a moment. “Ultra Beasts?”

Giovanni stopped and threw a look over his shoulder at Izzy, “Correct. They’re incredibly powerful. I do hope to meet one soon.”

Before Izzy could say anything else, Giovanni flew off on his Fearow. After waiting a moment in silence to make sure they were alone, Izzy turned her full attention to Guzma. He was still curled on the ground, his jaw clenched and eyes tightly shut. He was obviously still in pain from the hit.

And everything hit Izzy at once. She was completely relieved that they were alive, that Giovanni had said himself that he would leave her alone. She was pissed that Guzma had followed her and almost made the situation turn deadly. But above all else, she was completely heartbroken seeing the man she had come to love—the man who had followed her to protect her—on the ground, unable to stand.

“Guzma, you idiot,” she choked out, crying over him. “What the hell were you thinking?”

He only moaned in response, rolling slightly so he was laying on his back instead of his side. Izzy scanned over his body once again; the cuts had stopped bleeding, and nothing else seemed to be terribly wrong. However, she couldn’t account for any internal injuries from the impact of the hit.

“I saw the note.” His face was no longer contorted in pain, but rather plagued by worry and exhaustion. “We agreed to protect each other, right? I couldn’t let ya come out here alone.”

She looked at him in bewilderment. He gave her a soft, sad smile as he placed his hand on top of hers. In that moment, Izzy fell apart and collapsed into the man, sobbing hysterically into his chest. He wrapped both his arms around her and held her against his chest. The moonlight fell on the pair, and they were serenaded by the smattering of nightlife Pokemon around them.

“Thank you, Guzma.”

\---

Izzy was less than pleased to be back at the hospital, but was even further distraught by the fact that it was Guzma who was in the hospital bed. It was near two in the morning, and the doctors were still verifying that Guzma hadn’t sustained any threatening internal damage.

Guzma had already fallen asleep in the bed, only to be awakened every once in a while to perform some ridiculous or mediocre task for one of the nurses. All of his cuts had been tended to, and he underwent a CT scan to check for internal bleeding. Now the pair was just waiting for results.

The room was mostly quiet, aside from the occasional hums from the surrounding medical equipment and Guzma’s soft snores. Izzy looked on at the man as he lay fast asleep; the white hospital gown he wore fell gently against his skin, and his hair was tousled and dirtied. Of course, he had argued the entire way to the hospital, saying he was fine and had dealt with worse, but Izzy refused to return to the apartment until ensuring his well-being. She couldn’t stand the thought of him being seriously hurt at her expense.

She had finally managed to stop crying, but her throat was hurting from fighting her tears back. She never wanted this for Guzma. It had been two years—she thought she was safe from the Rockets. It was naive to believe such a thing.

The door to the room creaked open and Izzy looked up, hoping for results from Guzma’s CT scan. Instead, she was met by Looker, who was tentatively peaking into the room. Izzy suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over her; her previous outburst had been completely uncalled for.

“May I come in?”

“Yeah, of course.” He sighed in relief and quickly made himself comfortable in a nearby chair. “Hey, Looker, I’m really sorry about earlier.”

“Don’t be. I know you were beyond stressed, and to be quite honest, you were right about a lot of things. Our force needs to do better.” He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair again. “And I do hope you know I still had the perimeter of the apartment complex being patrolled. It wasn’t optimal, but we would at least see if any suspicious figures entered. I wanted to honor your request for space.”

“I appreciate it, Looker.”

“Now,” he stated in a let’s-get-down-to-business tone, “tell me. What the hell happened?”

Izzy looked over at Guzma nervously. He was still knocked out cold, even snoring in his sleep. “It was Giovanni. He was there. Wanted to meet with me to tell me the attack during the Blitz wasn’t his doing.”

“Really? We identified the man—”

“As Archer, an administrator within Team Rocket,” Izzy interrupted. “Archer wanted revenge and acted independently. Giovanni was actually pretty pissed off about it.”

“Huh.” Looker paused, surprised but satisfied with her answer. “Interesting. What else?”

“He also gave me a warning. Told me if I stayed out of his way that he would leave me in peace. I think he’s having Team Rocket look for something called Ultra Beasts.”

Suddenly, Looker shot upright, his eyes wide. “Ultra Beasts? You can’t be serious!”

“Why? What are Ultra Beasts?”

Izzy had never seen Looker scared before, but in that moment, the color drained from his skin. “They are monsters from other universes, Isabel. Incredibly powerful creatures that have no business existing in our world.” Looker began bouncing his leg nervously, his eyes darting around to ensure they were alone. “They enter our universe through wormholes, and about ten years ago the International Police had to take care of an issue with some of them here on Alola. Lost a lot of good men and women during that time.”

“Wait, they come here through wormholes? Haven’t there been a lot more of those appearing lately?”

Looker’s gaze suddenly bore into her; Izzy shuddered. “Correct. And if what you say about Team Rocket is true, then it’s likely that their presence in Alola and the increase in wormhole appearances are directly connected.”

“It sounds right up Giovanni’s alley,” Izzy muttered. “How many Ultra Beasts are there?”

“No idea. We don’t know much about the creatures, but when we encountered them here in Alola, they came in groups of two or three per species. We were unable to capture any of them—they can’t be contained in Pokeballs.”

Izzy shook her head—of course Giovanni was trying to get his hands on powerful beasts. “What happened when they attacked Alola?”

Looker shook his head. “It was a bloodbath. All we could do was fight back to drive them back to their worlds. The whole ordeal lasted about a week, and we had to time our attacks with wormhole openings, which made the process even more difficult.”

“But they didn’t destroy Alola, right? I’m guessing most people don’t even know about the Ultra Beasts.”

“Correct. Our force drove the beasts into secluded parts of the island to keep them away from people.” He sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s one of the greatest battles in Alolan history, yet nobody really knows about it.”

“And if Giovanni is able to somehow capture one?”

Looker shook his head again. “He would be unstoppable.”

Izzy felt a sense of dread overcome her. Her chest felt like it was being crushed, like breathing was suddenly impossible. Giovanni was already ruthless as he was. What kind of power would he wield if he was able to get these Ultra Beasts on his side? Her stomach turned; what happened to her that day at Silph Co. would probably seem like charity work compared to what plans Giovanni had in store next.

“This isn’t your fight anymore, Izzy.”

Shaken from her thoughts, Izzy glanced at Looker, confused. “Huh?”

“You’ve spent more than enough time battling against Team Rocket. Your childhood was tainted by that fight because Oak and I thought it wise to add a group of kids to our arsenal.” He looked up at her, his gaze remorseful yet unwavering. “You don’t have to fight them anymore.”

Before Izzy could respond, Guzma began to stir. He was mumbling incoherently, his face twisting slightly before returning to its calm, sleepy state. Izzy smiled softly.

“He came out to try and save me. Big ol’ doofus.” She reached out her hand and rested it on his. “Dumbass even charged right at Giovanni.” Her smile faltered.

Looker let out a long, airy sigh as he leaned back into his chair. “Well, can’t say I’m surprised. He seems to be the kind of person to not really plan ahead. But there’s no denying how much he cares about you.”

Izzy smiled sadly. “I know.” Her gaze shifted back over to Looker. “I wish you were right. But it is my fight. More so than ever, now.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Yeah, Team Rocket said they would leave me in peace if I stayed out of their way. And I really, really wish I could take up their offer. But,” her gaze fell upon Guzma again; his chest was rising and falling softly with each breath. “They’ll destroy everything else in their path. They’ll tear Alola to shreds. And they’ll kill anyone who dares to stand in their way.”

“So you plan on taking on Team Rocket again?”

Izzy nodded her head. “I can’t stand by and watch them hurt the people I love.” She squeezed Guzma’s hand, as if offering a promise to him. “I won’t lose anybody else to Team Rocket.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love y'all :)) thanks for sticking with me and this fic for so long! We are getting closer to the final stretch!


	17. Kala'e Bay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried so hard :(((((( I WANTED TO DO MY BABIES JUSTICE BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. I GIVE UP. 
> 
> Regardless, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) I know I did not lmaooooo

Guzma was released from the hospital the following morning, and Izzy was grateful. His injuries were only minor; all internal bleeding was minimal and had stopped on its own, and he had suffered no broken bones. Yes, he was battered and bruised, but otherwise he was healthy.

The night had been difficult for the pair. Guzma hardly got any sleep considering how many tests he had to run through, and Izzy had stayed up the entire night wondering what her next steps were going to be against Team Rocket. She knew that she couldn’t just stand idly by, but the thought of going head-to-head with Giovanni was stressful, to say the least.

While there was a looming sense of dread hanging over her, Izzy wasn’t overcome by fear or anxiety as she was before. Instead, just as she had felt when she encountered Giovanni again at Ten Carat Hill, there was a strange numbness that had settled into her bones. It was as if she knew she was facing off against death itself, and her body was trying to prepare her for the oncoming war.

However, if Guzma had noticed Izzy’s strange behavior, he made no mention of it. He was typically keyed in on Izzy’s emotional state surprisingly well, but this time he walked alongside her in silence back to the apartment. Izzy chalked it up to him being exhausted, and to be quite honest, she was grateful for the silence in the moment.

When they arrived back at her apartment, Guzma grabbed Izzy’s hand and dragged her to the bedroom. Izzy couldn’t help but laugh to herself; getting dragged off to bed by Guzma had been a small fantasy of hers, but she had imagined it being a much more… scandalous situation--him pulling her along, tossing her onto the bed, hurriedly rushing to get her clothes off… that sort of thing. Instead, Guzma wearily pulled her along, his back slouched and eyes struggling to stay open. Upon arrival, Guzma instantly threw himself onto the mattress and began snoring, not even bothering to actually bring Izzy onto the bed with him. She laughed, carefully worked his shoes off, and crawled into bed next to him. Her body neatly lined up against his, and the warmth radiating off of him comforted her.

She felt just a hint of the strange numbness that had overcome her melt away. Dealing with the Rockets again would be nothing short of hell. But Izzy would do it a thousand times over if it meant she could protect Guzma.

\---

Guzma groaned when he woke up. He couldn’t remember the last time his body ached so badly--he felt as though he had had another “dispute” with his dad the day before. Plus, he couldn’t sleep worth a damn. Between the nurses and doctors constantly going in and out of his room and the aches and pains that kept waking him up, Guzma got practically no rest. Only the few hours beside Izzy in her apartment had been somewhat restful, but even then Izzy’s snuggles could only help so much.

Although Guzma had to admit they helped a ton.

However, when he rolled over seeking her warmth, he found the bed surprisingly empty. Curious, he sat up and looked around. She was nowhere to be seen, but the sound of the television from the other room could be faintly heard. He grumbled to himself; it seemed as though he wouldn’t be going back to sleep as he had originally hoped.

After changing, Guzma shuffled into the living room. There, he saw Izzy sitting on the edge of her seat, clutching a pillow tightly to her chest. Her eyes were wide and her lips were tightly pressed into a line. Looking for the source of her stress, he turned to the TV. On the screen, a battle was in full swing with a Torracat and Type: Null duking it out with a Charizard and a Luxray. It seemed as though the battle was nearing its end; all four Pokemon looked exhausted, as if they would collapse at any moment.

“C’mon, guys! You’re so close!” Izzy softly pleaded. Guzma smirked; she hadn’t noticed him yet. Planning on surprising her, Guzma quietly made his way behind the couch and gently propped himself on the back of it, leaning just over her shoulder.

The match continued to rage on. Suddenly, the camera cut to Hau and Gladion, both of whom looked stressed. A grimace was pressed firmly onto Gladion’s face, whereas Hau looked genuinely fearful--it was a look Guzma was not used to seeing on the boy. He couldn’t blame him, though. It was the semifinal match, and it looked like the battle could go either way.

In a sudden rush, Luxray let loose an Electro Ball at Type: Null while the Charizard fired off a blazing Flamethrower at the Pokemon. Gladion desperately called out for the creature to dodge it, but Type: Null was too exhausted to follow its owner’s command. Izzy gasped; Type: Null didn’t stand a chance.

Until Torracat leapt in front of the creature to take the hits. The cat roared out in pain, and was completely shrouded in a cloud of dust that had been kicked up. The crowd was deathly silent; even Guzma held his breath. There was no way Torracat survived the impact.

Horrified, Hau attempted to sprint out into the battlefield to check on his Pokemon. Gladion caught his hand before he could leave their designated box, pleading with him to stay put. Hau shook his head, trying to break free of Gladion’s grip. Guzma shook his head; of course the kid was about to get them disqualified because he cared about his Pokemon so much.

“Oh, Hau,” Izzy sighed. “Wait, what?”

Curiously, a strange series of lights began to emerge from the dust, first in small beams, but then growing into a blinding flash. Hau and Gladion looked on in awe; it was as if Arceus was performing a wild miracle in front of them.

And then it stopped. The lights ceased, the dust settled, and the audience was silent once more.

Guzma was correct. Torracat hadn’t survived the impact. However, _Incineroar_ had withstood the attack and looked ready to take down an entire army.

“Holy shit, they’ve got a chance,” Izzy said in disbelief.

Hau beamed at his newly-evolved partner. Incineroar turned to him and nodded in understanding. Without another word, the cat’s body became encased in a flurry of raging flames and tore across the stadium at a blinding speed.

“Yes!” Izzy shot up out of her chair, dropping the pillow as she pumped her fist in the air. “Get ‘em, ya stupid cat!”

Relentlessly, Incineroar landed the hit on both Charizard and Luxray. The pair were sent flying in opposite directions, skidding across the ground until their bodies finally came to an ungraceful halt. A silence fell across the stadium; both Charizard and Luxray laid motionless on the ground.

And a deafening roar erupted from the television. The camera swept back to Gladion and Hau, who were both sprinting out onto the battlefield, showering their Pokemon in praise. Hau looked on at Incineroar in amazement; in return, the cat picked him up and spun him around excitedly. Guzma couldn’t help but smile--it was sweet.

“Wow. Didn’t think they’d pull it off.”

“Eep!” Izzy spun around, shocked to see Guzma standing there. He laughed, and Izzy scratched bashfully at the back of her head. “Jeez, didn’t know you had woken up. How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to see that they shouldn’t have won that battle,” Guzma casually responded, leaning forward and rolling himself onto the couch. “And how the hell did that Torracat--er, Incineroar--survive that hit? Evolution or not, it doesn’t make any sense.”

Izzy hummed, wedging herself into the small space Guzma left on the couch for her by his head. “No idea. Pokemon are just kinda crazy, I guess. How are you feeling this morning, anyway?”

Guzma huffed, moving so that his head rested on her lap. “Really fuckin’ sore. But otherwise, I’m fine.”

Izzy smiled down on him, ruffling his hair. “Well that’s good.” She paused for a moment, her smile slowly fading. “You had me worried, Guz.”

“I had you worried?” He retorted sourly. “You had me scared shitless! What were ya thinkin’ tryin’ to go after Giovanni by yourself?”

Izzy sighed, tearing her gaze away from Guzma. “I just… I thought I could keep you out of harm’s way. You have to understand.”

“Look, Iz,” Guzma began, sitting upright and looking intently at her, “like I said yesterday, we’re kinda on the same page. I wanna protect you and you wanna protect me, so…”

“So?”

“So let’s do that together, yeah?” He placed a hand on her thigh, which resulted in her face becoming tinted in a soft pink. Guzma felt a sudden rush of Butterfree in his stomach.

“Yeah. That sounds like a good plan.”

“And you mean it this time?” Guzma added sarcastically. “No runnin’ off without at least givin’ me a heads up?”

Izzy laughed. “Yes! I mean it this time.”

“Good.”

\---

The remainder of the day went on surprisingly well. Despite her encounter with Giovanni, Izzy was calm--cheerful, almost, as if she had formed some new resolve to not let Team Rocket ruin her life. Although Guzma was still concerned about her, he was grateful that she at least seemed to be a bit less stressed.

Izzy did, however, feel bad about Guzma being sore, so she took care to spoil him for the day--and Guzma certainly wasn’t going to stop her. She whipped up a few Kanto-style burgers made with ground Tauros meat, and Guzma devoured the meal in mere seconds. Guzma couldn’t help but swoon; not only an amazing trainer, but an incredible chef as well? She was the whole package.

And then there was the fact that she was… attractive, to say the least. Every dip and curve of her skin had slowly etched itself into Guzma’s mind over time, and he couldn’t even begin to list the number of times he had gotten lost in her eyes. He silently dreaded the oncoming end of the tournament--he assumed that would be his call to leave her apartment and get on with life. It was a strange phenomenon that Guzma wasn’t used to, but the thought of being apart from her killed him inside. 

Hell, the thought of losing her the previous night had almost driven him mad. He happened to wake up when he realized Izzy was no longer beside him, and his heart had stopped when he read the note again with the additional writing seared into it. He couldn’t even begin to describe the fear that had overcome him at the thought of what could have happened to her. In that moment, the only thing that mattered was getting to Izzy before Giovanni could do anything to her.

Yeah, he had taken a pretty nasty hit from Giovanni’s Fearow and was certainly feeling the effects of it, but he would have taken a hundred more if it meant getting to Izzy in time.

He couldn’t help it; he cared about Izzy dearly.

To be quite honest, Guzma still wasn’t sure what it all meant. Plumeria had said that Izzy was his person, and Looker had even gone as far as saying Guzma “loved” Izzy. Guzma had accepted that he had feelings for the girl--he couldn’t deny the way his body keyed in on her anytime his skin touched hers, nor could he shake off the way his stomach would flutter when he made her smile or laugh. And he certainly couldn’t deny that his face had almost sizzled off from blushing when she had kissed his cheek. He could be open with her, be _himself_ around her. And what really bamboozled Guzma was the fact that she cared for him--actually, truly cared about him--and not just “in spite” of who he was. No, she cared about him _because_ of who he was. It was something he couldn’t wrap his head around.

But love? No, never. Guzma doubted whether he really could love somebody. He had too much pent up anger and aggression to really know what love was.

Yet he did have to admit that when he was with Izzy… he never really felt angry. Instead, he felt happiness--a pure happiness that he hadn’t felt in a long, long time--whenever he was by her side.

_C’mon, Guzma. Get it together. It’s probably just… because she’s a really good friend._

“Hey, Guz,” Izzy chimed, breaking Guzma’s train of thought. The pair were loafing about on the couch, mindlessly watching some reality TV show. “I was thinking… do you want to go out and do something tonight?”

“Huh?”

She turned to look at him, a glint in her eyes and a slight grin on her face. Her hair curved perfectly around her face; Guzma felt his heart skip a beat.

_It’s not love. It’s not love. She’s just… really nice. And cute as fuck. And maybe I would charge right into Team Rocket for her. But it’s not love._

“You know, just go and hang out somewhere together. Go do something.”

Guzma sat dumbfounded for a moment. If he heard right… it sounded like Izzy was asking him out on a date. “You mean just the two of us?”

“Yeah. I dunno, just thought it would be nice. We could take a step back from everything and just… yeah.” Her voice was trailing off at this point and she looked away, her face beginning to turn red.

_Oh my fucking god she is asking me out on a date oh my god oh my god oh fuck_

Guzma was certain his brain had short-circuited for a moment--in fact, he was almost positive the words “Guzma.exe has stopped working” were plastered onto his forehead. Izzy noticed him freeze up and jokingly waved her hand in front of his face to get his attention back. “Hello? Earth to Guzma!”

“Uh, I-I-I… I just… Well…” Guzma was sputtering out fractions of words, begging his mouth to form at least one coherent sentence. 

“Guz, we don’t have to,” Izzy responded, smiling at him once again.

_“NowaitIthinkthatisagreatideaweshouldgoout!”_

Izzy blinked. Guzma mentally slapped himself in the face.

“I think I got the jist of that, but do you want to try again?”

Guzma took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. “Yes. I think some time out together would be… good.”

Izzy blinked again, then let out a soft, airy laugh. “Well, perfect! Have any ideas on what you’d like to do? I kinda want to get away from the town for a night, if that’s okay with you.”

Still reeling from trying to reboot Guzma.exe, he tried his best to compose a list of activities they could do together on Melemele island. However, for some reason, only one spot came to mind:

“Ya ever been to Kala’e Bay?”

Izzy quirked an eyebrow up at him. “You’re not taking me to some ocean bay to try and catch Wimpod, are you?”

Guzma laughed earnestly. “No! At least not this time. I’ll take ya to do that soon.” Izzy chuckled in response. “No, Kala’e Bay is a secluded oceanfront on the north-east side of Melemele. It’s a fairly secluded spot, completely untouched by people. I used to run off there all the time as a kid to get away from shit.”

“That sounds like just what we need.” She leaned into him, resting her head on himr. He was keenly aware of the way her cheek was squished into his shoulder and could feel his face heating up once again. “Wanna head that way now?”

“Not yet. We have to wait ‘til sunset. That’s the best time to go.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

“You’ll find out.”

\---

Per Guzma’s instructions, the pair waited until just before sunset to take off to Kala’e Bay. But prior to leaving, they packed up a neat picnic--put together by Izzy--with a bottle of champaign. They hopped on board a ride Charizard which had just enough room for the both of them plus their picnic basket. Izzy clung tightly to Guzma as he directed the Charizard--the feeling was enough to make him dizzy (although that could have very well been due to his fear of heights, but he opted for the former).

“You said this place was on Melemele? I’ve never even seen it before!” Izzy called out, looking around eagerly. “Where is it?”

“It’s just past the cliffs!”

The Charizard roared as it climbed just a bit higher to clear the last of the cliffs. Izzy gasped; before them stood Kala’e Bay. As Guzma had said, it looked like a completely untouched, perfectly preserved spot of pristine nature. A small cove was stationed off to the side with a few grassy islands scattered about the bay area. The few remaining beams of sunlight glistened beautifully against the water. 

“It’s incredible!” Izzy beamed.

After dropping the pair off in the cove, the Charizard took to the skies once more. Izzy eagerly began exploring the area; she kicked her shoes off and sat on the edge of the cove, placing her legs into the water. She was surprised that the edge dropped off as drastically as it did and silently wished she had brought a swimsuit.

“Guzma, it’s so beautiful out here!” She beckoned him over, and he happily complied.

“Just wait ‘til the moon is out. You’re in for a big surprise.”

Awaiting the rising moon, the pair ate their food in pure bliss. Izzy had opted to make sandwiches, but had added a vinaigrette she made herself along with a slew of various deli meats and cheeses. Guzma gushed; despite its simplicity, Izzy had perfected yet another meal. Toasting to their delicious picnic, the pair downed their glasses of champaign.

Guzma could feel a warmth spreading through his chest; perhaps it was simply the alcohol. Or perhaps it was the way that Izzy kept smiling at him, beaming everytime Guzma told her some goofy story about life back in Po Town with Team Skull. He felt a fluttering sensation in his stomach that he had grown so accustomed to fighting off, but today he welcomed it.

As time passed, the sun eventually set and the moon lit up the sky along with a smattering of stars. Izzy looked up in awe; since no city lights were nearby, it was as if the pair could see the entire universe sitting before them.

“Guzma, this is amazing!” She turned, beaming at him. “How have you never told me about this before?”

“Dunno. Kinda forgot about it, to be honest.”

“How could you forget a place like this?”

“Uh… Well I would usually run off as a kid out here to get away from family. Guess I kinda put all that behind me as soon as I could.”

Izzy’s joy seemed to deflate a bit, but she quickly picked herself back up. “Well, let’s fill this place with better, happier memories now, okay?” She placed her hand on top of his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“That’ll be the day. And by the way, ya still haven’t seen the best part of Kala’e Bay.”

“Wait, really? There’s more?”

As if on command, a small shimmer of light could be seen under the water. Curious, Izzy looked further into the bay. The beams seemed to suddenly grow brighter until the entire area was softly lit by a blue light that was emanating from the water. It glistened against her and Guzma’s skin, painting them a gentle ocean blue. Izzy looked on in complete awe, bewildered by the spectacle in front of her. Guzma shook his head; how he wished he could see her like this more often.

“It’s glowing,” she whispered as if trying not to scare off the light. “How is it glowing?”

“Look closer. Can you see anythin’?”

Izzy leaned forward and peered into the water; she could make out the outline of some kind of fish, but couldn’t tell what they were.

“Pokemon?”

Guzma nodded. “Finneon and Lumineon. At this time of the year, they glow at night and light up the whole place. Although to be honest, I’ve never seen it this bright before.”

Izzy was lost in the sight. The blue beams reflected off her eyes, causing them to shimmer in a way that made Guzma’s heart soar. She was leaning ever further over the edge to get a better look, curiosity etched onto her face.

And, in her state of awe, Izzy leaned a bit too far over.

“Iz, you’re--”

Before Guzma could finish, Izzy shrieked as she tumbled face-first into the water. Guzma paused only for a moment before bursting into laughter as Izzy resurfaced. The light coming from the area where Izzy fell in faded for a moment, but quickly returned as the Pokemon recovered from the surprise.

“C-c-cold!” Was all Izzy could muster as she crawled her way out of the water. Guzma offered a helping hand, pulling her out and into his arms. She wasn’t lying; she was soaked and _freezing._ She turned into a shivering mess in his arms, and he pulled her closer, ignoring the fact that his clothes were starting to get wet.

“We don’t have any spare clothes, huh?” Guzma asked in between chuckles. Izzy shook her head. “Aight, let’s at least change your shirt. Here.” He pulled his hoodie off once again and handed it to her. She eagerly took it and quickly walked a few paces away from Guzma.

She squeaked out a “thank you” as she began pulling off her shirt. Guzma watched, his eyes going wide and face burning up. The shirt had lifted only slightly, exposing her stomach and part of the scar across the side of her torso.

_She technically didn’t say to not look… right?_

Despite his better judgement, he looked on. She continued to remove her shirt, pulling it over her head and revealing a soaked, purple bra that clung tightly to her skin. Guzma audibly gulped; the beams of blue light were now dancing across her wet skin, causing her to glow.

But then she reached behind her bra and popped it undone. Guzma instantly lost his cool; he whipped his head back around and looked away, hiding his burning face behind his hands. He couldn’t bring himself to do it, especially not without her explicit permission.

A few more moments passed until Izzy came and sat back beside him. Guzma peaked over at her from behind his hands and saw she was wearing his hoodie along with her soaked shorts. Despite the fact that it was fully zipped up on her, it hung a bit loosely on her shoulders, revealing just a hint of cleavage that drove Guzma insane. 

“Guz, you okay? You look like your head is about to burst.”

“Y-yeah, I’m good.” Flustered, he splashed some water on his face in an attempt to calm himself down. Izzy looked on curiously, but made no mention of it.

“I can’t believe I made myself fall into the damn water,” Izzy laughed, still shivering slightly.

“Yeah, don’t know how you managed that.”

The pair sat next to each other for a few moments longer, Izzy beholding the school of glowing Pokemon before her. Guzma looked on as well, but was more focused on trying to not get caught staring at Izzy. He was failing miserably, however; Izzy would cast a glance over and catch him every time, her face turning a soft pink each time.

“Hey, Guz,” Izzy finally chimed, “what are you planning on doing after the Blitz?”

“Whaddaya mean?”

“You know, _after_ we win.” She turned to him and offered a cocky smirk. Guzma snickered in response. “What are you going to do after that?”

Guzma felt his heart skip a beat. Maybe, just maybe, she was going to ask him to stick around a bit longer.

“W-well, the whole reason I entered this tournament was to prove to everyone--to myself too, I guess--that I’m strong. That I’m not just some… fuck-up of a trainer.” He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “So, I guess I’ll have done that if we win the championship match, right? Guess I’ll just sit on my bragging rights for a bit, train here and there to get stronger where I can.”

Izzy turned to look at him, her eyebrows turned down in concern. “Guzma, you don’t have to win some stupid tournament to prove that you’re strong.”

He was taken aback. “What? How else am I supposed to--”

“Guz, just the fact that you’re _here_ proves how strong you are.” A sad smile tugged at her lips as she placed her hand on top of his once again. “I mean, you had to be strong your entire life! Even when you were a kid, when your job was to simply be loved and to grow… you had to be strong instead. And now with Team Skull, you have to be _ridiculously_ strong to constantly take care of those knuckleheads.”

Guzma let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, you’re right, but--”

“No buts.” She gave him a stern look. “You’re incredibly strong, Guzma. That’s why you’re the big, bad boss! Anybody who thinks otherwise is an idiot.”

Guzma blinked. A dozen different emotions were clamouring for a spot in his head, and he couldn’t make any sense of them. He felt a hint of sadness, a dash of joy, a handful of embarrassment, and Arcues fuckin’ knows what else. But there was one feeling in his chest that he couldn’t place. It was a sensation that made his heart feel like it was melting, almost to the point of being painful.

Contact. He needed contact, _badly._ He felt like his skin would burst into flame if he didn’t.

“Hey, are you okay?” Izzy questioned. Guzma wasn’t surprised--his internal turmoil was probably written across his face.

Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. She yelped in surprise, but eagerly melted into him. They remained that way for a moment, Guzma’s breaths becoming a bit shaky. Izzy was mildly concerned about being squished to death from the grip that Guzma had on her, but she figured if her end had to come from being hugged too tightly from the gang leader that there was no better way to go.

Yet Guzma found that the strange sensation in his chest only increased as he held Izzy against him, but it was now accompanied by a wild rush of adrenaline. He felt a burning desire--a longing--building within him.

“Guz, talk to me,” Izzy mumbled into his chest. “Is something wrong?”

He loosened his hold and she leaned back just enough to look up at him. Her eyes glistened in the light, and they were focused entirely on him, laced with worry. He was lost in them once again.

“Iz.” His voice was husky at this point, and Izzy’s face turned a bright pink. “Can I…”

“Can you what?”

Without finishing his question, Guzma leaned into Izzy, closing his eyes as he softly planted his lips against hers. She tensed up for a moment, eyes wide in surprise, before eagerly wrapping her arms around his shoulders and melting into the kiss. It was a gentle, chaste kiss that made Guzma’s heart soar; he hadn’t realized just how badly he had wanted this.

Izzy was the first to pull away, her face flushed a bright red as she avoided eye contact with Guzma, looking squarely at his chest instead. Guzma felt his heart stop for a moment--he was terrified he had made the wrong move.

“Fuck, Iz, I’m sorry!” His voice was frantic as he pulled further away from her. “I-I just, I think you’re really p-pretty and--”

“Shut up, bug boy.”

“What?”

Before he could do anything, Izzy pulled him back towards her, locking her lips against his. Any feelings of worry of doubt instantly fell away as Guzma wrapped his arms around her again, placing one hand against the back of her head and the other against her lower back. He was completely enamoured in it all, eagerly opening his lips to her tongue.

And for just a moment, all that existed in the world was Izzy and Guzma. No tournament, no Team Rocket, no hospital visits, nothing. The only thing that mattered was the girl he had been longing for wrapped in his arms, finally kissing him. It was--in all tackiness of the words--a dream come true. 

The pair fell backwards onto the ground with Izzy on top of Guzma. He didn’t mind; in fact, the way she was straddling him now was enough to drive him insane. His hands slid down to her waist while hers became entangled in his hair, pulling softly at it. Teasingly, he nibbled at her lower lip, earning a soft moan from her. The sound gave him chills--it was stunning. 

_Fuck._ He was already starting to get hard.

“H-hey, Iz.” The words tumbled out awkwardly--he was breathless.

“Yeah? Everything alright?” Her voice was dripping with lust, and the sound made Guzma’s toes curl. She pulled just away enough to look at him through half-lidded eyes.

“Fuckin’ perfect, actually,” Guzma sighed happily. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

“You’re telling me, bug boy.”

She leaned forward to kiss him again, and he happily met her lips before pulling embarrassedly away. She looked down at him curiously.

“W-wait, Iz,” Guzma sputtered out, his fingers digging into her hips slightly, trying to regain his composure. “There’s a bit of a, uh…”

“A what?”

Guzma gulped. “Problem.”

“Huh?” Confused, Izzy leaned back, accidentally grinding against Guzma’s groin. He let out a quick gasp, his fingers digging in even harder to Izzy’s sides. Catching on to the “problem” that Guzma had mentioned, Izzy’s face went a bright red as she quickly scurried off of him.

“S-sorry!” Flustered, her eyes darted away as she bashfully scratched at the back of her head. “Guess we took that a bit fast, huh?”

Guzma laughed, sitting upright as he tried to will himself down. “Nah, I was fine with the pace. Just figured, uh… maybe somewhere a bit more private?” He looked over at Izzy, who practically had steam coming out of her face. “B-but we can slow down if that’s what ya want!”

“Yeah, maybe that’s a good idea,” she squeaked out.

The pair sat in silence for a moment before Guzma scooted over to be closer to her. She gave him a cautious smile and leaned against him, his arm wrapped around her side. His heart was still pounding, but any nerves he had before had melted away into something else, something new and… comforting. He had so much he wanted to tell her now that it seemed the feelings between him and Izzy were mutual.

“So… you said you’ve been waiting to do that?” Izzy managed to say, nestling her head into his side. “How long?”

“Too fuckin’ long,” Guzma responded, smirking. “I dunno, I always thought you were kinda cute. Even that one time ya kicked my ass at Malie Garden.”

Izzy laughed, looking up at him bashfully. “Well, I thought you were a total dork the first time I met you.”

“Hey!”

“But a pretty attractive one, I’ll give you that.”

“Well, thanks,” Guzma laughed, quickly planting his lips on the top of her head. “But yeah, I guess I’ve had a crush on you for a bit, but… I dunno, it became more than that for me after our quarterfinal match.”

Izzy looked up at him curiously, her eyes wide and cheeks rosy. “Wait, what? What do you mean?”

“It was while you were at the hospital.” Guzma’s face went dark for a moment. “I thought I was going to lose you, Iz.”

“O-oh.” Izzy turned away. They hadn’t really talked about what had happened at the hospital; Izzy had been eager to leave it in the past. A pang of guilt hit her.

“Hala and Kukui had to pull me out of the arena before I made a run at that Liam guy,” Guzma said, laughing sadly. “Hau was actually the one who calmed me down and sent me your way.” He turned to look at Izzy once again. “I just… the thought of losing drove me fuckin’ crazy.”

Izzy held her breath. Guzma seemed so fragile, as if he was still trying to put himself back together after everything that happened. She remembered Kukui mentioning that Guzma had been by her side the entire time at the hospital, but never really realized just how heavy of a toll the whole event had taken on him. 

“I’m sorry.”

“The hell are you apologizing for? It wasn’t your fault.”

“I know,” Izzy sighed, returning to nuzzling her head into his side, “but still. That must have been awful to go through. Hell, I was a mess last night when we had to take you to the hospital.”

“And I told ya we didn’t have to go! I was perfectly fine.”

“I just wanted to be sure! Internal injuries can be scary stuff.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Guzma playfully ruffled Izzy’s hair which earned him a playful smack on the wrist. “But anyway, yeah. Think that’s when it started to hit me that this whole thing was more than jus’ a lil crush. How ‘bout you?”

Izzy laughed nervously. “Honest answer?”

“Honest answer.”

“Since you started staying at my place. Had a huge crush on you before then, and you living with me made it a hundred times worse. Or better, I guess.” Izzy’s face was beginning to burn up again.

“Damn, Iz. Sounds like you’ve been pining for a hot second, there,” Guzma laughed, earning another playful smack from Izzy.

The pair talked the evening away, a new sense of comfort and joy among them. Guzma’s chest felt strangely light, as if he was floating. His skin continued to tingle wherever Izzy happened to make contact with him, however, he noticed the sensation was a more comforting one instead of the wild, exciting feeling he was used to. It had previously felt like he was about to ride down a raging waterfall, but now being with Izzy felt more like a relaxing float down a river. He revelled in the newness of it all.

And boy, did the conversation wander. It was one of those conversations that touches every aspect of each person’s life, one that could instantly flip from insatiable laughter to moments of sadness and condolences. It went on for what must have been hours, until the pair finally grew tired from their giddy state. Guzma and Izzy shared their small moment of bliss together, happily falling asleep in each other’s arms, sprawled out on their picnic blanket in the cove of Kala’e Bay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :* kissy kissy


	18. Lu'au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the delay. Life has been hitting pretty hard recently. My uncle passed away from COVID-19 and it's been pretty hard on me and my family. If you're a praying person, prayers would be nice.
> 
> To be honest, I never intended to have this chapter, but it ended up happening I guess! Although it's a pretty short one, I had to spend a good chunk of time researching hula tradition and whatnot. You should look up some Kahiko dances, they're pretty wild.
> 
> Hope you enjoy :)

The eve of the championship match came much too quickly. Izzy had been hoping to enjoy a few more blissful days with Guzma before the final match of the tournament, but alas; duty called.

It had been three days since Izzy and Guzma had shared their first kiss. It had been stunning, dizzying, intoxicating, and absolutely _perfect._ To be honest, it was unexpected as well, but Izzy was elated that Guzma had suddenly decided to do it. Since then, the pair had had their fair share of kisses and makeout sessions. The notion of watching television to pass the time had been completely thrown out the window--Izzy much preferred their new form of entertainment.

She had become completely enamoured by it all--the way Guzma’s lips would taunt her, the way his hands would sneakily work their way under her shirt, how flustered and breathless the both of them would become, _all of it._ She swore her heart would burst from the sheer excitement of it all.

Yet every time they rounded their way past second base and started moving towards third, Guzma would always pull away, insisting they slowed down. There had been one particular instance when Guzma had managed to crawl his way on top of Izzy to kiss her, pressing his entire body against hers as she dug her fingers into his back. They had even gone so far as to start grinding up against each other. Izzy was lost in the way his breath began to catch as his hips bucked into hers, but before they could do anything else, he pulled away, mumbling a soft, “I think we should stop.”

They both took cold showers after that. Separately.

Izzy couldn’t be too upset though. After all, she was the one who had essentially asked Guzma to slow things down a bit. While she regretted it now, she figured there would be some kind of value in waiting a bit longer. Maybe it would better her patience? Or perhaps build self-discipline? Damned if she knew. She just silently hoped things would begin moving a bit faster between her and Guzma--and soon, at that.

Yet regardless of their poorly kept restraint, they still slept in the same bed. Izzy was surprised but grateful with the fact that their nights sleeping together had still gone without any issues--she wasn’t sure what she would do if Guzma had to suddenly start sleeping by himself in order to preserve their “not-going-past-second-base” status. At night, their bodies would instantly align against each other, and Guzma’s soft snores often lulled Izzy to sleep. While the contact was enough to drive her a bit insane, there was a surprising level of comfort that came with lying next to Guzma--she hoped she would be able to hold on to that comfort for a while.

\---

“Hey, Iz,” Guzma called from the kitchen. For once, she was relaxing back on the couch while he whipped up something for them. “Ya want any whipped cream?”

“You already know the answer to that,” Izzy replied from the couch. “If there isn’t at least a one to one ratio of whipped cream to hot chocolate, I don’t want it.”

Guzma laughed softly as he piled the topping into the mug as much as he could. Izzy practically pounced at the beverage as Guzma brought it over, nearly spilling it on both of them. After only half-heartedly reprimanding her, he happily flopped beside her onto the couch and planted a kiss on top of her head.

It was getting later into the evening, and the room was cast in a soft orange lighting from the setting sun. Izzy quietly admired the way the light softened the typically rigid features on Guzma; for once, he looked entirely content. His striped tank top clung tightly to his skin, and Izzy could just make out the subtle edges of his muscles against it.

“The hell are ya lookin’ at?” Guzma playfully remarked, taking a sip of his tapu cocoa. Izzy felt her face heat up--of course he caught her in the act.

“Oh, don’t mind me. Just checking out the goods.”

“You can do more than just check, ya know,” Guzma purred as he quickly lost interest in his drink.

Izzy chuckled and placed her drink on the table just before Guzma threw himself over her. She fell backward onto the couch, laughing as he playfully nibbled at her neck, his fingers tickling at her sides. The sensations were all overwhelming, and Izzy revelled in it. It was pure bliss.

_THUMP THUMP THUMP_

“Izzy! Open up! It’s me and Gladion!”

The momentary bliss was over as quick as it had come; of course her sunshine boy wanted to pay a visit before their final.

“I swear, that fuckin’ kid,” Guzma sighed as he sat back up.

“Gotta love him.”

Izzy opened the door to find both boys in front of her. Gladion had a casual look with his black, sleeveless hoodie, but Izzy was unable to pry her eyes off of Hau. The boy had his hair down and his chest and arms were adorned in a strange, red tribal paint that formed jagged patterns across his skin. A skirt fashioned from an orange cloth fell to just above his knees, and bracelets made of leaves hung around his ankles and wrists.

“Izzy!” Hau beamed. “You’re coming to the lu’au tonight, right?”

Izzy raised an eyebrow. “Lu’au?”

“Wait, you didn’t know about it?!” Hau’s jaw dropped, causing Gladion to smirk. “I thought I told you! It’s one of Tutu’s traditions. He hosts one for every Hau’oli City Blitz. I’ll be dancing in the Kahiko tonight!”

“Kahiko?” Guzma questioned, scratching at the back of his head. “I’ve heard of it, but what is it exactly?”

“It’s one of the most ancient forms of hula,” Gladion responded with a flourish. “They’re usually performed in dedication to someone or something. The one Hau’s going to be in is for Tapu Koko and the Blitz.”

_Huh, guess that explains the outfit._

“So? Are you guys going or what?!” Hau’s arms hung in the air as if waiting for a response. Izzy laughed.

“Of course we’ll be there.”

“Great! It’ll be at Iki Town in an hour, so don’t be late!”

Without giving Izzy a chance to respond, Hau grabbed Gladion’s hand and sprinted out the door with him. Izzy blinked; her sunshine boy was gone in an instant.

Guzma scoffed. “I swear, that kid has more energy than a Charjabug.”

\---  
After running later than expected (Izzy had found out the hard way that Guzma could be _very_ distracting), the pair found themselves in Iki Town only five minutes before the lu’au was supposed to start. It was dark by the time they got there, and the center of town was brightly lit by a series of torches as well as a large bonfire. A decent sized crowd had gathered, including the trial captains and other island kahunas. However, Hau and Kahuna Hala were nowhere to be seen.

“Izzy! Guzma! There you two are.” Gladion suddenly emerged from the crowd and eagerly welcomed them. “I was worried you weren’t going to show up.”

“C’mon, my sweet lil emo child! You should know us better than that.” She playfully rustled his hair, earning a scowl from the boy.

A sudden hush fell over the area, and Izzy’s focus shot up to the platform that the crowd had circled around. Kahuna Hala appeared dressed in similar regalia as she had seen on Hau earlier. He held a large, hollowed out gourd in his hands and commanded the attention of all who surrounded him.

“People of Melemele Island! I welcome you to tonight’s lu’au!” His voice echoed throughout the town and was received with a boisterous applause. “Tonight, these fine young men will be performing a Kahiko that they have worked tirelessly on! They will dance for our beloved island guardian, Tapu Koko, as well as for the Blitz in hopes that tomorrow’s championship match will please him!”

The crowd cheered once again, and then grew quiet as Kahuna Hala began tapping out a steady rhythm against the large gourd in his hands. As he did so, a group of teens including Hau made their way onto the platform, their steps completely in sync.

And then Hala began chanting, the beat suddenly becoming quicker and more intense.

The dancers leapt into action, their bodies moving rigidly and stunningly. Not a single finger or toe was out of place; each dancer moved with a flawless precision that seemed to cut through the very air itself. They chanted in time with Hala, thrusting their arms forward and lightly stomping their feet in time with the beat.

Despite her amazement with the whole group of dancers, Izzy couldn’t take her eyes off of Hau. His face was focused and filled with a certain intensity that seemed to be radiating from his entire being--it was a look that she had never seen on the boy before. It was as if he were calling upon Tapu Koko to prepare him for battle.

The crowd cheered when the dancers performed particularly explosive moves, and Izzy happily chimed in as well. However, on certain occasions, the dancers would roll their hips in a surprisingly fluid and… sensual manner. Such movements earned plenty of cheers from the young teenage girls in the crowd, and Izzy swore she saw Gladion blush as he looked on.

With a final flurry of movement, the dance ended, and the crowd burst into cheers. The dancers were visibly sweaty and could be seen breathing heavily, but still didn’t break from their intense personas. In similar, in-sync fashion, they made their way off the stage and back to their quarters, Hala following closely behind.

“Huh. Never seen one of those before,” Guzma stated, his attention turning back to Izzy. “Looks like it would be kinda fun.”

Izzy let her mind wander for a moment; she imagined seeing Guzma in traditional hula attire and found herself blushing. _Yeah, it would be a lot of fun._

“It looks fun, but the training for it is absolutely insane,” Gladion chimed in. “These guys have practiced dancing for years, and even just this dance took months to train for and perfect.”

“Wait,” Izzy exclaimed, “but I’ve been traveling with Hau! How the hell has he been training?”

“Most of the dancers up there are Pokemon trainers too, actually. It’s common for teens to participate in both since hula and the island challenge are both important to Alolan culture. Hala set up a virtual training system through video calls, and a lot of the guys would meet up if they happened to be on the same island.” Gladion shook his head. “I don’t know how Hau finds the time to do it all, if I’m honest.”

“You and me both, kid,” Izzy laughed. She already admired Hau, but her respect for him soared through the roof. She remembered him sneaking off at night occasionally during their travels, but never thought that much of it. Only now did she realize what he was sneaking off for.

“Gladion! Did you see?” Hau suddenly came sprinting out of nowhere and collided into Gladion, quickly throwing his arms around the boy. In response, Gladion’s face turned a bright red as he tried to pry Hau off of him.

“Y-yeah, of course I saw.”

“It went perfectly! I was kinda nervous, but--HEY!” Hau lit up upon realizing Izzy and Guzma had shown up. “You guys made it! I didn’t see you before we started dancing.”

“Ha, yeah. Ran a bit late,” Izzy casually replied.

“That was some dancin’ up there, kid. Looked really good,” Guzma stated, offering a small grin. Hau beamed in return.

“Thanks! We all worked really hard on it, so I’m glad you liked it.” Hau suddenly turned and fixed his gaze on the starry sky, smiling softly. “I hope Tapu Koko enjoyed it, too. Maybe he’ll even bless our match tomorrow!”

\---

The lu’au continued on with numerous festivities. Izzy was almost certain she had eaten twice her weight in the various dishes being served (steamed Crabrawler, seared Magikarp, even Kalua Mankey! It was a dream come true), and Guzma was certainly carrying a food baby of his own. A few other songs were played, and Hau even showed the group some simple moves so they could dance together. Izzy couldn’t help but laugh at how poorly Guzma danced--it was like the man had been born with two left feet.

Eventually, the night grew late and the crowd began to dwindle. Izzy, Guzma, Gladion, and Hau were sitting on the ground around the bonfire, happily chatting. Hau was still dressed in his regalia, but now wore a shirt in an attempt to ward off the late night cold. Izzy also couldn’t help but notice the way Hau seemed to lean himself into Gladion’s side, but decided to write it off as the boy trying to keep warm. Besides, even if that wasn’t the case (or rather, especially if that wasn’t the case) there was no reason to make any comment about it--Gladion would have surely lost his cool and gotten Hau off him immediately. She decided to leave the boys in peace.

She wondered about Hau and Gladion. In her time travelling with Hau, he never made any mention of anybody he liked or had a crush on. Despite being sixteen years old, he was surprisingly quiet about anything remotely related to romance. He had mentioned a “girlfriend” once--he was five, and it was only because they had given each other noodle-necklaces for the day. Otherwise, his dating life had been nonexistent as far as she knew. To be quite frank, she didn’t even know if he swung a particular way, or was even attracted to anybody for that matter; she had chalked him up to being asexual.

And then Gladion… she didn’t know a damn thing about the kid. In the short time that she stayed with Kukui and Lillie when she first arrived on the island, she heard that he was Lillie’s brother. He was known to be a powerful trainer, but rumor had it that he had gotten mixed up with Team Skull for a bit when he ran away from home--Izzy simply assumed it was for a place to stay until he could support himself. Interestingly enough, Guzma never really mentioned him, so Izzy wondered if the rumors were really true. He always seemed aggravated and depressed; he tried to completely shut himself off from the world. It was obvious that he had a difficult past, but Izzy had no idea what it was.

But in the time that she had seen Gladion with Hau, she swore that she saw him smiling more--a feat that few, if anybody, had ever achieved with the edgy boy. They were truly complete opposites of each other, yet they seemed inseparable now.

“It’s kinda crazy to think we’re supposed to battle each other tomorrow, huh?” Gladion said, pulling Izzy from her thoughts. “We’re all hanging out the night before we’re supposed to try and, you know, destroy each other. Just seems a bit odd for a championship match.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty wild,” Guzma responded, leaning back on his arms. “But it’s even more crazy that you two kids made it this far. How’d y’all get past the group stages, again?” He teasingly stuck his tongue out at Gladion, who in return gave him a middle finger with a small smirk.

“I dunno, Mr. Guzma. At least we didn’t enter the tournament with only one type of Pokemon!” Hau retorted back, earning “ooooooo”s from both Gladion and Izzy. 

“Yeah, yeah. Point taken, ya punk ass,” Guzma laughed. 

“But really, it is pretty crazy, right?” Izzy finally stated, looking contentedly into the fire. “It’s like a storybook ending. A couple of enemies-turned-friends duking it out in the championship match? Reality TV wishes it was this good.”

Despite the fact that she still felt a bit cold, her face was beginning to burn from the heat radiating from the fire. The flames danced in the air, brilliantly lighting up the group. The flickering light casted onto Guzma seemed to make his eyes glow contentedly; he looked genuinely happy. Hau and Gladion did as well, the boys happily leaning up against each other. Feeling brave, she placed her hand on Guzma’s, giving it a light squeeze. While he didn’t look over at her, she noticed his lips subtly turn upward into a small smile. Her heart soared.

Silently, Izzy thanked the gods for their small moment of bliss together. Despite all the ups and downs and near-death experiences the Blitz had brought her, she secretly wouldn’t have changed any of it. And while she knew there was an upcoming war against Team Rocket she would have to take part in, she pushed her concerns to the side.

After all, it was moments like these that would make the war worth fighting.


	19. The Championship Match

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I've been hitting myself over the had with a bat trying to write this chapter. I've rewritten everything too many times to count, and I GIVE UP. And if I don't publish this blasted thing now, I never will.
> 
> I tried my best!!! I hope you enjoy it!!! I'll probably do a rewrite at some point. We'll see.
> 
> I believe we have about 2 ish chapters left based on my outline (although that is subject to change). Looking forward to tying this one off with y'all!

The morning of the final, the two teams walked to the stadium together, bantering the entire way there. Hau and Gladion had met at Izzy’s apartment at the crack of dawn, and the group shared an early brunch together before making their way to the championship match. Upon their arrival at the stadium, the group was immediately swamped by rampant fans and media reporters. The numerous flashing lights blinded Guzma, and the goddamn _audacity_ of some of the reporters was enough to make him pull his hair out. However, he did his best to remain composed beside Izzy--he didn’t need to be pulling her into any mess right before the final.

After getting inside and bidding each other farewell, Hau and Gladion separated from Izzy and Guzma. The lobby area was still surprisingly filled with giddy spectators and reporters, but they were held back in roped off areas so that four remaining trainers could get checked in in peace. Guzma was grateful for that--he was going to lose his mind if one more fuckin’ reporter shoved a microphone in his face.

“Can you believe it?” Izzy asked after they finished checking in. They were walking down the dark hallway; at the other end Guzma could see a faint light accompanied by a muffled cheering. “This place was packed with trainers back when the tournament first started. That was what, over a month ago now?”

“Yeah, pretty crazy.”

“Now it’s just you, me, and the boys. Never could have imagined it.”

Guzma laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders now that they were safe from the paparazzi. “C’mon, Iz. You never imagined us in the championship match? I saw this comin’ a mile away.”

Izzy laughed, leaning into him. “I mean, I knew we could do it, it’s just… wow. We’re actually _here.”_

Guzma smiled contentedly. As they walked towards the entrance of the battlefield, he could faintly hear the crowd chanting their names. Guzma’s chest swelled; he had the girl he had fallen for attached to his hip and was walking towards the championship title in the biggest tournament in Alola. It was all too good to be true.

The pair arrived at the entrance to the battlefield, and the crowd’s excitement could be felt reverberating through the ground. Before walking out, Izzy pulled Guzma back and planted her lips against his. Guzma smiled into the kiss before pulling away, admiring the pink tint on Izzy’s face.

“Let’s go get ‘em, bug boy.”

The pair entered the battlefield and were greeted with a boisterous roar from the crowd. From what Guzma could see, the stadium was completely packed to the brim. He even noticed a small section filled with the kids from Team Skull, all holding up poorly made signs, most of them reading “Show them who’s boss!” He smiled and gave them a wave.

In the air surrounding the stadium were the usual hoving holographics. Team 52’s graphic listed numerous factoids about the pair, including a healthy smattering of stats from the tournament. Hau and Gladion’s graphic also listed similar information. It was obvious that all four of the trainers had earned their keep in the tournament. It was going to be a hell of a match.

Across the battlefield were Gladion and Hau. In typical fashion, Hau waved to the crowd, beaming ear to ear. Gladion, on the other hand, stood with his hand covering half his face. Guzma never really could figure out why he did that--he wrote it off as theatrics.

“Welcome, everyone, to the championship match of the Hau’oli City Blitz!” The announcer’s voice rang throughout the stadium, and the crowd burst into cheers once again. “This year’s tournament will be one for the books, and today’s match certainly will be as well! On the Eastern side of the stadium, we have Guzma and Izzy!” The crowd roared, and Guzma swore he heard his group of hooligans chanting something. “And on the Western side of the stadium, we have Hau and Gladion, our youngest team to ever make it to the championship match!” The crowd roared yet again, and Guzma saw Hau beam even more--if that was even possible.

“Trainers!” A small, nasally voice called out. Guzma recognized the man as the head official--the one who had gotten trampled by the crowd the first day. “On my command!”

He held a checkered flag in the air, and the stadium became deathly silent.

“Release your Pokemon!”

Four bright red flashes lit up the battlefield, and team 52’s Golisopod and Primarina roared at team 10’s Incineroar and Type: Null. As Guzma had expected, each trainer had gone with their top gunner. The crowd burst into a deafening cheer.

Guzma smirked; he could _feel_ the energy surging through the air. It caused his skin to tingle and made his heart race. There was no denying it--this was the perfect scene for the championship title.

The official lifted the checkered flag a bit higher. “Battle…”

A sudden hush fell over the crowd, the official’s flag hanging in the air. A strange stillness surrounded him, one that seemed to press up against him and cling to his skin. Guzma held his breath. In that moment, he swore that the whole world stopped moving. He closed his eyes.

And he saw everything. He saw the small, bruised boy he once was, the boy who was so desperate to break free from captivity. He saw the teen who had been thrown out on the streets to fend for himself, the one who had to become a monster just to live. He saw the man he had become, the one who despite his hatred of the world had tried to help those like him.

And he saw Plumeria. He saw his kids with Team Skull. And he saw Izzy.

He smiled. They always said before death, one could see their life flash before their eyes. But they were wrong; whoever said that had forgotten just how _riveting_ life could be.

Opening his eyes just in time, he saw the official swing the flag down with a flourish. It was now or never.

“BEGIN!”

_“Now!”_

Golisopod completely disappeared, and a split second later appeared next to Type: Null, landing a devastating First Impression on the creature. Null tumbled across the ground until coming to a grinding halt on the other side of the stadium, landing squarely on its feet. Guzma swallowed--that thing looked _pissed._

In retaliation, Incineroar began charging at Golisopod, its teeth bared and claws protruding. Golisopod was still frozen, having just performed such an energy-consuming move. Guzma threw a look at Izzy; she nodded.

“Aqua Jet!”

Shrouded in a sudden vortex of water, Primarina tore across the stadium at Incineroar. The crowd gasped; it was sure to be a direct hit.

“Incineroar, now!”

And just before Primarina made contact, the feline turned towards her and perfectly caught her between his arms. Using Primarina’s momentum, in a single fluid motion the Incineroar quickly pulled her overhead and suplexed her, thrashing the siren into the ground. The crowd roared; they were only moments into the battle, and it was already looking to be an exceptional bout.

 _“Shit!”_ Izzy hissed. Hau had read them like an open book. Guzma had obviously underestimated the boy.

“Now, Throat Chop!” Hau called out, punching his fist into the air. Guzma felt his heart sink; Primarina’s attacks were heavily based on the use of its voice. A successful Throat Chop would be devastating to their team.

“Sparkling Aria!”

Just as the feline wound its arm back for the attack, Primarina sent it flying with a point-blank range attack. Due to the close proximity, the water bubble didn’t get very big, but the impact was enough to give the siren enough time to scurry away to safety. The two continued to clash, going blow for blow with each other.

Meanwhile, Golisopod had regained its footing and charged towards Type: Null, its many appendages suddenly glowing a sickly purple. Null had managed to remain standing after the first attack, but was still trying to shake off the effects from it.

“Golisopod, now! Poison Jab!”

With a sudden rush, Golisopod lunged at the creature. However, Type: Null dodged it with ease, bouncing around the bug as if playing a game. Guzma gritted his teeth--Golisopod was obviously outclassed in speed by the damned thing.

“Now, Null! Crush Claw!” Gladion called out.

Roaring in response, Type: Null quickly redirected and pounced at the bug, its claws glowing and increasing in size. Unable to whip around in time to redirect the attack, Golisopod cried out as it took the brunt of the hit. The bug was pinned down to the ground, Type: Null standing over its body.

“Tri Attack!”

Guzma pulled at his hair; Golisopod was absolutely _fucked_

“Get him off of ya, dammit!” Guzma called out desperately, but to no avail. The Crush Claw attack had successfully stunned the bug--he would have to simply take the hit.

At the head of Type: Null, three beams of light began to form as the Tri Attack was charged up. All Guzma could do was watch.

“Moonblast!” 

From the other side of the stadium, a brilliant light tore across the field and blasted into Type: Null, launching it off of Golisopod. The creature flew across the stadium until crashing into the wall, getting buried into it. Guzma turned and saw Primarina, who had managed to snipe Incineroar from across the battlefield and save his ass. Type: Null could no longer be seen, a cloud of dust kicking up and blocking it from view.

“Golisopod, retreat! Get back with Primarina!” With a huff, the bug quickly scurried over to its partner, taking a moment to refortify.

Incineroar additionally retreated and took a stand in front of the cloud of dust, gnashing its teeth. It was obvious that it was going to protect its partner above all else. Guzma laughed to himself--the damn Pokemon was just like Hau.

The crowd went silent, eagerly watching the stand-off between the three Pokemon, Type:Null still nowhere to be seen. Izzy and Guzma opted to wait for the dust to settle before going in blindly with another attack. A moment passed and the dust fell. Type: Null was standing, somehow unscathed.

Yet Guzma noticed the creature looked different.

Type: Null’s helmet had fallen to the ground, revealing a beautiful white mane and crest atop its head with three, feather-like protrusions. Its eyes were finally exposed as well, and they glistened intensely against the stadium lights. The crowd gasped at the creature; it was stunning now that its true form had been revealed. The creature roared out menacingly, and the entire stadium quivered.

“What?!” Gladion yelled, his eyes wide with surprise. “Null, how did you do that?!”

“This is unbelievable, folks!” The announcer yelled. “It seems as though Type: Null has broken through the strange mask that was over its face! Being that it’s such a rare, unknown Pokemon, I’m not sure if this is supposed to happen!”

And suddenly, Gladion was beaming ear to ear. “I’ve tried everything to get that stupid mask off him! Now he’s finally free!”

“What?” Now Guzma was beyond lost. Gladion had been trying to free the Pokemon? What had happened to it before?

With a renewed fervor, Gladion quickly turned his attention back to the battle.“Null, show ‘em what you’ve got! Tri Attack again!”

“Incineroar, combo it with Flame Thrower!”

Suddenly, three beams of light encompassed by a swirling flame shot across the stadium, heading directly towards Golisopod. The attack landed squarely on the bug, its speed being too much to attempt to dodge. Golisopod cried out in pain and crumpled to the ground, its scales scorched a dark brown from the burn it sustained.

“Golisopod!” Guzma cried out, pulling at his hair once more. He felt his stomach knot up; now that Type: Null was no longer hindered by its mask, its power had increased exponentially. He and Izzy were in trouble. “Iz, what are we going to do?”

She stared out at the stadium, eyes wide and mouth ajar. It was painfully obvious that the new Type:Null had put her on her heels as well. “I-I think I’ve got a plan,” she responded, her voice tainted with uncertainty, “but it’s going to be a stretch. Just attack like you normally would, you’ll know what to do next!”

“What?! You want me to just send in--”

_“Just fucking do it!”_

With an aggravated groan, Guzma called for Golisopod to charge with a Poison Jab attack. The bug did so, prying itself off the ground and sprinting towards the pair. As the bug approached, Incineroar and the new Type: Null dodged it with ease, swiveling and swaying to avoid each oncoming jab. Guzma gritted his teeth--Izzy was making him look like a fool.

“Iz, what the hell--”

“Just a bit longer!”

Golisopod continued throwing jab after jab at the pair, its efforts slowly becoming more sluggish. It even got to the point where the bug was starting to leave openings for counter attacks, which Guzma was sure Hau or Gladion would capitalize on any second.

Finally. Golisopod threw an uncharacteristically long jab, leaving a huge opening in its wake. Guzma felt his heart drop; he saw what was coming next.

“Darkest Lariat!”

“Crush Claw!”

The commands came from both Hau and Gladion at the same time, and the two Pokemon jumped at Golisopod. Guzma felt a rage building inside him; did Izzy really just throw his partner to the Lycanroc?

_“Icy Wind!”_

From behind the group, Primarina unleashed a searing cold burst of wind  
, effectively freezing both Incineroar and Type: Null’s feet to the ground, leaving them unable to move. Guzma’s jaw dropped; he hadn’t even realized Primarina had moved. It all suddenly made sense--Izzy wanted the pair to commit to an attack so she could catch them off guard and freeze them.

“Golisopod, X-Scissor!”

With a tremendous roar, the bug lunged at the two frozen Pokemon and slashed at them with a blinding speed, leaving a shining “X” mark where the attack landed. The two Pokemon were shattered from the ice and launched across the field, slumping to the ground on the other side of the stadium. The crowd roared; Guzma felt it shake him to his core.

Had they just won?

“There you have it, folks!” The announcer said with a flourish. “That’s--wait, what’s this?”

As if out of pure defiance, both Incineroar and Type: Null stood back up. The pair looked worse for wear, but there was an intensity still radiating from them. Guzma smiled. Of course victory wouldn’t be so easy.

“Huh, and here I was thinking we had just finished ‘em off,” Izzy said with a smirk. “Should have known better.”

As if to ensure that everyone knew that Team 10 was still in the match, a blinding energy suddenly started pouring out from Type: Null. Its body became shrouded in light, and it stood on its hind legs as it roared. The entire stadium shook as it landed back on its front legs. The crowd gasped at the spectacle--Null looked like a mythical creature.

“Null, now! Use Multi Attack!” Gladion yelled, grinning wildly.

“Multi Attack?” Izzy and Guzma asked in unison. He had never heard of such a thing.

Without hesitation, Null charged at Golisopod, encased in a white aura. The creature moved at a blinding speed, turning into a blur darting across the stadium. Before Guzma could say a word, Null crashed into Golisopod. The bug howled in agony, tumbling across the ground until its body slumped into a pile. 

Guzma felt his throat tighten up; what had just happened?

“Golisopod, get up,” he said softly, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Please! C’mon!”

The bug remained motionless, its body crumpled on itself. Murmurs from the crowd filled the air as Guzma fell to his knees. 

Golisopod was out. It was just Izzy and Primarina left.

The stadium was suddenly drowned in yells and cheers. However, it just sounded like a strange, muffled background noise to Guzma. The only thing he could truly hear was a strange, steady pounding in his chest. His whole world came crumbling down on him. In the final match of the tournament, his Pokemon was the first to fall. He had failed.

“Don’t worry.” Guzma was pulled out of his trance by Izzy’s voice. She placed her hand on his shoulder and offered a small smile. “You and Golisopod did great.”

Reaching her hands out, she pulled Guzma back onto his feet. Giving him a final nod, she turned back to the battle, a wicked grin on her face. He scoffed; of course she wasn’t going to quit without a fight.

“Alright, Primarina! Let’s finish this off!” Izzy said, punching her fist into her hand. “This is our last shot!”

Incineroar and Type: Null had regrouped and stood defiantly in front of Primarina, daring her to make her next move. Primarina sang out, her melodic warcry earning an eruption of cheers from the audience.

“Primarina! Frozen Fowl!”

_Frozen Fowl? Must be another one of Izzy’s strategies._

With a twirl, Primarina became shrouded in a raging water and began darting around the border of the battlefield using Aqua Jet. Incineroar and Type: Null tried to hit the siren with Flame Thrower and Tri Attack, but couldn’t manage to aim properly with her moving around so quickly. She circled around the pair numerous times, dodging each attack with ease.

“Now! Icy Wind!”

As she continued darting around her opponents, Primarina began releasing blistering cold gusts towards their feet. It quickly became obvious what Izzy’s plan was; she was trying to freeze the Pokemon again and immobilize them while avoiding taking any damage. It seemed to be working so far, but Guzma was certain that Primarina would quickly exhaust herself before knocking out the other two Pokemon.

After a few more Icy Wind blasts, Primarina came to a halt in front of Izzy, admiring her work. Type: Null was practically frozen solid and had no means of escape, however Incineroar was making quick progress of trying to melt the ice he was encased in. Guzma swallowed; he wasn’t sure what Izzy’s next move was.

“Alright Primarina! Oceanic Operetta!” Izzy waved her arm in the air and activated her Z-ring. A sudden burst of energy came from it, and a blue aura encased both Izzy and Primarina. The two then moved completely in sync, as if becoming a single entity.

And then they both began to sing.

Guzma’s jaw dropped. Primarina and Izzy were harmonizing perfectly, their eerie song filling the air. Then in front of Primarina, a strange, whirling ball of water began to form. The song suddenly became faster and more intense, and the mass of water in front of Primarina grew exponentially in size. Incineroar and Type: Null were desperately trying to escape their icy prisons, but they could only cower in fear as the mass of water grew larger and larger as it almost entirely blocked out the sky. As the melody grew louder, the water began violently swirling, creating powerful gusts of wind that filled the stadium. The crowd shrieked with fear; it was looking to be a devastating attack.

Guzma looked on in awe. He could _feel_ the power radiating from both Izzy and Primarina. The gusts of wind coming from the water were whipping her hair around, and her figure was outlined in a soft, blue light.

She looked like a warrior preparing to face off against the gods themselves.

With a flourish, both Izzy and Primarina waved their arms upward, and the mass of water burst with a loud _BANG!_ The sound alone caused Guzma to flinch, and the impact from the explosion shook the entire stadium. The debris from the burst began flying uncontrollably around the battlefield with shards of ice and water raining upon them. The crowd screamed out, and Gladion and Hau could be heard yelling. Guzma quickly tackled Izzy to the ground, desperately trying to get her out of harm’s way.

The liquid projectiles flew across the stadium for until a sudden silence fell over the battlefield. By some miracle, the pair had avoided any damage from the attack. The air was thick and still, and Guzma suddenly realized his hands trembling. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked on at the scene before him. The battlefield was left in shambles, chunks of dirt having been stripped and tossed about the field. The audience was huddled in the stands, crouching for protection In the middle of all the destruction, Primarina stood defiantly. Both Type: Null and Incineroar were strewn across the ground, motionless.

And suddenly the stadium erupted with cheers.

“I can’t believe it folks!” The announcer called out above the noise. “In my twenty years of broadcasting, I have _never_ seen a Z-move like that!”

Slowly, Guzma worked his way off Izzy, kneeling on the ground beside her. She remained on the ground, her hand blindly reaching for him. He happily took it, holding it against his chest.

“Did… did it work?” She was breathless; it was obvious the Z-move had completely drained her.

“It worked. You did it, Iz!”

With an airy laugh, she used whatever energy she had left to throw her arms around Guzma. Before he could stop himself, he picked her up and spun her around, laughing like an absolute idiot. Victory music began playing, and confetti began fluttering through the air across the stadium, gently raining upon them.

As he carefully helped Izzy up, Guzma saw Hau beaming at them, already sprinting over to congratulate them. Gladion on the other hand was shaking his head as he returned Type: Null to its Pokeball. Primarina had managed to hobble over to Izzy as well, nudging her head under Izzy’s hand to demand some well-deserved attention.

Yet in all the madness, Izzy never pulled her gaze from him. 

Guzma had never wanted to kiss her more.

\---

To say they were surrounded by reporters would have been an understatement--Izzy didn’t know that Alola even had so many. They filled the entire lobby of the stadium, trapping her and Guzma inside as they pelted the pair with question after question. Izzy would have been much more annoyed if it wasn’t for the fact that they had just won the biggest tournament Alola had to offer.

Thankfully, Guzma decided to take the reins on the situation and get them the hell out of there. After getting Izzy to jump onto his back (or rather, slumped onto him--like hell she had the energy to jump), he bulldozed his way out, trampling a few particularly persistent reporters along the way. The pair laughed the entire time--they were flying high on their most recent victory.

Guzma quickly exited the building, a hoard of reporters chasing after him. Izzy happily shrieked, chanting “hurry” as he shuffled down the stairs and into the street. In their mad dash out of the stadium, Izzy saw Hala waving them down from across the road, a ride Tauros standing by his side.

“This way, you two!”

Guzma sprinted to the man as fast as he could--Izzy clung to his back for dear life. Hala quickly ushered the pair onto the Tauros, beaming at them as he did so. Izzy could see him lips moving, but for some reason couldn’t make out any words other than “be safe.” With a quick _smack_ on Tauros’ rear, Hala sent them hauling down the road. Izzy waved, calling out a quick “thank you!” as they rode off into the sunset together. She clung to Guzma’s back, enjoying the moment for as long as she could.

When they arrived at her apartment complex, Izzy and Guzma ran up the stairs, giggling the entire way. They were beyond giddy; Izzy felt as though she were on top of the world, Guzma right by her side. Her heart soared--somehow, some way, they had managed to win the tournament.

As soon as the pair entered her room, Izzy pounced on Guzma, wrapping her arms and legs around him. Guzma laughed in response, holding her against him as he maneuvered his way to the couch. The pair fell onto it, breathlessly and blissfully tangled in each other.

“We did it, Guz! We really did it!” She was on top of him, beaming.

He smiled back at her fondly, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, we really did it. _You_ really did it.”

“Oh, shut it, bug boy. _We_ did it.”

His hand remained by her face, slowly caressing it. Izzy felt her face burn where he touched her, but despite her slight embarrassment, she nuzzled her cheek into his palm, relishing in the contact. She moved so that her legs fell on either side of him, effectively straddling him, and slowly leaned in towards him, closing her eyes. He reached forward to meet her and pressed his lips against hers. Izzy hummed happily into the kiss, earning a teasing nibble from Guzma.

“You’re incredible,” Guzma said, the words tumbling out in a quick whisper. “I don’t know how you managed to pull that off.”

“We both did it, you doofus,” she said before meeting his lips once more. “We won the tournament together.”

“Oh, c’mon. You know you won that match for us.” His tone suddenly became deeper and much more serious. Izzy felt her unbridled joy reel back ever so slightly.

“Guzma, stop that!” She placed another kiss on his cheek. “We’re a team, so knock it off.”

“You don’t have to lie to me, Iz.” Guzma’s smile was beginning to falter, and Izzy pulled away.

“I’m not lying! I would have never won this tournament without you.”

After saying that, Guzma sighed, turning away from her as she leaned in for another kiss. Izzy suddenly felt deflated; it was becoming obvious that Guzma had some issues with their victory. She sat up and moved so that she was sitting beside him rather than on him.

“Guz, what’s wrong?”

“S’nothin’,” he grumbled, sitting up as well. “I just… you won that battle for us!”

“But--”

“And you basically carried us during this whole tournament!” He dug his fingers into his hair, pulling at it. Izzy frowned.

“That’s not true.”

“It is true! And you know it!” He was yelling at this point. Izzy worried that he would rip his scalp off. “I entered this tournament to prove I’m strong, but all I did was prove I can’t do anythin’ by myself!” 

“Guz, stop,” she said softly as she reached over and removed his hands from his hair, holding them delicately in hers. “First of all, we did this together. You know that. And yeah, I may have had a few more finishing blows on the stat sheet, but that doesn’t mean anything! The numbers don’t show that both of us put in the work to get the wins.” She gave his hands a squeeze. “And besides, don’t you remember all the times you saved my ass during the tournament?”

“Like when?” Guzma spat back sarcastically, his eyes glued to the floor.

“How about that time when your Masquerain stopped an Electivire in its tracks with an Infestation attack, and then again with a Silver Wind attack? Or when your Scizor saved my Tsareena by knocking out that Marshtomp? And how about when you won the quarterfinal match for us by taking out that stupid Shiinotic? I could go on. Do you need me to?”

Guzma laughed half-heartedly. “Okay, okay! I get it. I’m sorry.” He slumped backwards onto the couch, leaning his head against her shoulder. Izzy planted a kiss against it, happy to see she had gotten through to him at least a little bit. “I just… I dunno. Feel like I failed you today.”

“Guz, we had to battle a Pokemon that no one had ever seen before. I don’t know what exactly happened with Gladion’s Type: Null, but it was way more powerful with its mask off. We were caught off guard and that’s not your fault. We couldn’t have planned for that if we wanted to. You just got the short end of the stick when it decided to attack you first instead of me.”

“But--”

“No buts, mister.” She leaned over and planted her lips on his. “We did this together, and that’s that.”

“Alright, alright. Just... one last question.” 

“And what’s that?”

He pulled away enough to look her squarely in the eye. Izzy couldn’t help but notice how fragile he looked in that moment, as if her answer would make or break his entire being. She wanted nothing more than to hold him close and protect him, to chase away whatever it was that had him so on edge.

“If your Primarina had taken that hit and gotten knocked out instead of my Golisopod… do you think I would have won the match for us today?”

He paused for a moment, quickly turning away as Izzy stared at him. His eyes had suddenly become half lidded, as if waiting to hear a cold, hard truth. His jawline was set, and his hands were curled tightly onto the edge of the couch. She smiled sadly; it was obvious that he severely doubted himself.

It made sense. After all, he had grown up with a monster of a father that beat him for “not being good enough,” and his entire image now was based on the fact that he was the strongest trainer in Team Skull. He valued himself solely based on how strong he thought himself to be, and today’s match left him feeling useless.

She leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. “Guzma, I’ve told you before and I’ll say it again. You are _strong._ You’re probably the strongest trainer I’ve ever met--and you’re pretty god damned stubborn, too. There’s not a doubt in my mind; you would have won that match.”

He turned back to her, his eyes wide in shock and mouth slightly ajar. She offered him a soft smile. But before she could say anything else, he pulled her against him so that she was straddling his lap, tightly wrapping his arms around her as he buried his head into her shoulder. Confused, she cautiously placed her arms around him as well, running one of her hands through his hair. His shoulders trembled slightly; she was almost certain he was crying.

She felt her heart break for him. He had gone through so much just to prove to himself that he was strong, and in the end he felt as though he had to rely entirely on her for the tournament. While she knew it wasn’t likely that her words would fix what years of abuse from his father had done in an instant, she hoped that if she said it enough that Guzma would value himself more. Hell, she would tell him everyday until her dying breath that he was strong if it meant finally getting through to him. She genuinely meant it, too; she just wished Guzma knew that.

“Do ya really mean it?” His voice was indescribably soft and unsure; Izzy didn’t recognize it as Guzma’s.

“Of course I do, Guz. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

He let out a shaky breath, his head bowed down. His hands were on her waist, and Izzy noted the way his fingers were digging into her as if she might run off if he let go too soon. She continued to run her hand through his hair, remembering how doing so had calmed him in the past. They remained like that for a moment until Guzma finally worked up the courage to look her in the eye.

“Thanks, Iz.”

With a soft, reassuring smile, Izzy planted a kiss on Guzma’s forehead. He leaned into it, never easing his grip on her waist.

While Izzy silently wished that they had celebrated their victory with a certain _other_ means that she had been yearning for, she was more than happy to put aside her desires and simply hold Guzma in her arms. It was obvious that she had her work cut out for her in getting Guzma to see his own self-worth. She vowed that she wouldn’t rest until he no longer doubted himself, and she would start by showing him he was unconditionally loved--even if she didn’t have the guts to tell him out right.

So there the two champions remained, wrapped in each other’s arms. And while it wasn’t exactly the wild victory celebration she was expecting, Izzy wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited 8/19/20


	20. Frangipani

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops it's been almost two months since the last update. My b. If you're still reading, you're my hero <3 We are on the brink! It's almost complete! And now that I've gotten through some pretty nasty writer's block I'm ready for it!!!!! Now it's just a matter of making sure I have time to get it done lmaooooooo
> 
> Hope you enjoy :)

While Izzy had enjoyed the initial rush of victory from their championship match, she was certainly _not_ enjoying how she couldn’t even step outside of her apartment without being swarmed by the paparazzi. The night after their victory, Guzma and Izzy had tried to go out to dinner to celebrate but couldn’t manage to get past the first Pokemon Center before they were surrounded by flashing cameras and noisy journalists. Hell, she even had to enlist the help of a few officers (courtesy of Looker) to watch her apartment while they were home after one particularly persistent photographer was peeking in through the window. How he managed to climb his way to the second floor, she’ll never know.

And if Izzy was annoyed, Guzma was absolutely _pissed_ about the situation. The man liked his privacy, and these not-so-private times were beginning to take a massive toll on him. And with the addition of the clumsy reporters that managed to keep bumping into him with their equipment, the dreaded leader of Team Skull was about to lose his damn mind. Izzy had to physically remove him from countless situations to prevent him from clobbering some poor soul.

So, for the first two days after the Blitz, Izzy and Guzma remained barricaded in her apartment, passing the time by either a) making out, or, b) ordering food, getting it delivered, and watching the delivery person attempt to navigate the treacherous waters of the paparazzi. While the former was certainly Izzy’s preferred method of entertainment, the latter also proved to be hilarious--if, albeit, a bit cruel.

Sadly for Izzy, there was no third option on the table of c) getting absolutely ravaged by her smoking hot boyfriend. Despite their constant close proximity, Izzy and Guzma had yet to “do the deed.” If the paparazzi hadn’t already driven her crazy, the lack of getting plowed into her mattress by her new boyfriend was going to be the thing to tip her over the edge into absolute insanity. They had fallen into a similar cycle as before; the pair would be completely lost in each other, pushing up against the boundaries they had haphazardly placed to “ensure the relationship didn’t move to fast” or some bullshit like that, and just before they could finally take another step forward, Guzma would breathlessly bail out and scurry off to the other room until he cooled down.

Every. Fucking. Time.

She was getting beyond desperate but didn’t really know how to handle the situation. She couldn’t really talk to anyone about it yet either--although she was certain that everyone in Alola and their cousins knew, she and Guzma hadn’t publicly announced their relationship yet. And besides, she only had about four people she could probably chat with--Hau, Gladion, Kukui, and Hala--and to be quite honest, she would rather die than discuss her sexual frustrations with any of them.

If only she had somebody to talk to.

_“Look, just let me in!”_

The feminine voice pulled both Izzy and Guzma from the reality show they were watching on TV. Izzy felt a sudden unease in her stomach; had some erratic fan broken through the police line?

“Ma’am, I can’t--”

“Don’t give me that bullshit!”

Izzy’s heart sank; how did she not recognize that voice before?

“Is that…?” Guzma’s voice trailed off as he slowly stood up from the couch.

_“My best friend is in there, and I’m going to talk to him or so help me Arceus!”_

The pair sprinted to the door. Opening it, they were met with a woman with astoundingly pink hair. She was in the middle of arguing with the officer who had been posted just outside their apartment.

“Plumeria?” Guzma’s eyes were wide, and the name tumbled from his lips in astonishment. Upon hearing her name, the scowl that was pressed onto her face fell and was replaced with a skittish smile.

“H-hey, Guz. Iz. Long time, no see.”

Izzy sighed. She would have preferred having a rogue fan trying to break into her apartment rather than the last chick who had fallen for Guzma. But while she wished she could have turned the gangster away, she knew it was important for Guzma and Plumeria to work things out--whatever that entailed. 

With a nod to the officer, Izzy invited Plumeria in, who bashfully agreed and rushed inside. The trio stood awkwardly distanced from each other in the living, and nobody said a word. However, there was a strange awkwardness in the air between Plumeria and Guzma; they even refused to make eye contact with each other. Plumeria seemed uncharacteristically on edge as she fidgeted with her hair, while Guzma scowled, his arms crossed over his chest. The silence tore at Izzy, almost crushing the air out of her lungs. She silently pleaded that someone would break the spell.

But when the spell remained cast, Izzy swallowed before working up the courage to speak. “H-hey, so I’m going to head out for a bit and leave you two--”

“No.” Plumeria still had her eyes glued to the floor. “I need to talk to both of you first.”

“O-oh,” Izzy squeaked out, slinking over to the couch. She sat on it and held a pillow to her chest as if that would protect her from whatever cross-fire came her way.

“Well, spit it out, Plumes,” Guzma said a bit more aggressively than Izzy expected. “Whaddaya need to tell us?”

Taken aback, Plumeria’s head sunk and her arms shifted across her chest. It was almost as if she had visibly shrank; Izzy had never seen her look so small.

“I’m just here… to say congratulations.” Her face turned a soft pink as she hesitantly looked up at Guzma. “You two looked… really good out there.”

“Thanks,” Guzma spat back sarcastically, scoffing. Plumeria shrank once again.

A crushing silence filled the room. For once, Izzy felt bad for Plumeria; it was obvious that whatever bad blood had formed between the two gangsters had taken a toll on her. Izzy couldn’t particularly understand why Guzma was being so standoffish--hadn’t _he_ been the one to break her heart by turning her down? She cast a quick look at Guzma and saw his jawline set and the usual scowl across his face. Yet she noticed a sad, rejected look in his eyes.

“Guzma, c’mon--”

“If ya jus’ wanted to say congrats, you can leave now.” His gaze was still fixed on the ground. Plumeria flinched. 

Feeling her heart break for the girl, Izzy spoke up. “Hey, don’t be like that--”

 _“Stay out of this!”_ Both Guzma and Plumeria hissed at her. Izzy huffed in return; with two Skull leaders in the room, she should have known better.

“The kids miss you. Just… by the way.” The words had only a lick of rage to them, but Plumeria’s tone was sad and wavering. “They wanted to celebrate with you. You don’t have to be friends with me anymore, but you could at least go see ‘em. Tell ‘em you missed ‘em or some shit.”

The scowl on Guzma’s face fell in an instant, his eyes wide in shock. Izzy could have sworn the statement had completely knocked the wind out of him.

“I’ll be going, then.” Plumeria turned and made her way to the door, but stopped just before exiting. “Hey, Iz.”

“Y-yeah?”

“Take care of this dumbass for me.” With a soft smile and her eyes still glued to the floor, Plumeria left. 

Guzma remained motionless, as if he were still trying to catch his breath.

Izzy shook her head. Usually she was able to understand the reasoning behind Guzma’s outbursts, but as far as she knew, Plumeria hadn’t done anything to him. Yet he was aggravated for some reason; had something else happened she wasn’t aware of?

“Guz, you okay?”

Taking a deep breath, he quickly shook his head. “Y-yeah. I’m fine.”

“Then pardon me for being so blunt, but what the hell was that about?”

He turned away from her, running a hand through his hair. “Nothin’. At least nothin’ you should be concerned about.”

“Look, I’m not exactly the biggest fan of Plumeria--I mean, we got into spats and fights all the time. But she _is_ your best friend.”

“Was.”

“Oh?” Curiosity prodded at her; she was getting somewhere. “And when did that change?”

He paused for a minute, as if thrown off by the question, before furiously ruffling his hair. “I don’t wanna talk about it!” He slumped onto the couch, pouting with his arms crossed. Izzy couldn’t help but smirk at the sight.

“Guz, you heard her out there. She still called you her best friend when she was yelling at that officer. Are you mad at her or something?”

“What? No, of course not--I mean, I…” his voice trailed off as his hands switched from ruffling his hair to pulling at it. Izzy frowned; she swore she would help him break the habit before he ended up pulling off his scalp.

“Guz, it’s okay.” She sat next to him and pulled his hands away from his hair, holding them in hers. “If you’re not mad at Plumeria, then what’s wrong?”

“I dunno! I guess…” His voice trailed off, his lip pouting ever so slightly.

“You guess what?”

He let out a dramatically long sigh, throwing his head back into the couch. “Jus’ mad at myself.”

“Mad at yourself? For what?”

“‘Cause I hurt her, that’s why!”

He turned away, arms crossed over his chest and his lips pursed in an irresistibly pouty manner. Izzy felt a sudden warmth spread through her chest; although she was trying to help him get his emotions sorted through, he just looked too damn cute. 

“So… _that’s_ why you decided to be mean to her?”

“... Yes.”

And Izzy burst into a fit of laughter, which resulted in Guzma pouting even more. Despite how surprisingly mature he had been with her through everything, it seemed as though he still had a ways to go with his emotional intelligence.

“Guz, you know that’s probably the opposite of what you want to do, right?”

“I don’t know!” He grabbed a pillow and put it over his head, groaning into it. Izzy laughed, giving him a reassuring pat on his leg.

“She’s still your friend, Guz. You should go apologize to her and just talk things over. It’s obvious that she wants to work things out with you.”

A moment of silence passed, Guzma’s face still buried in his pillow. Izzy swallowed; had she further upset him?

“Mrfm mmhf frmh hmf?”

Laughing, Izzy reached over and pulled the pillow away from Guzma’s face. “Okay, try that again.”

Guzma scowled, obviously not appreciating the loss of his protective pillow. “How do I do that?”

“Do what?”

“I dunno!” Guzma threw his hands in the air, exasperated. “This whole ‘talking and apologizing’ bullshit, I guess. Not really my thing, in case ya haven’t noticed.”

“Guz, you talk to me about feelings and stuff, like, all the time now.”

“Yeah, but it’s different with _you_. You’re my--” Guzma suddenly froze; he looked like there was a Poliwag stuck in his throat and that he was doing everything he possibly could to keep it from escaping.

“I’m your what?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to Izzy, his eyes staring into hers as if he had just discovered one of the most valuable secrets of the universe. Izzy felt a strange, fluttering sensation in her chest--she still couldn’t calm her heart when Guzma looked at her like that.

“Person.”

“What?”

“You’re… You’re my person.” A soft, sad smile made its way onto his face. The fluttering in Izzy’s chest quickly turned into an uncontrollable pounding. Even though they had been progressively becoming more and more intimate, they still hadn’t really laid out the groundwork for exactly _what_ their relationship was.

“I-I’m… your person?”

His face became tinted a light pink as he bashfully scratched at the back of his head. “Y-yeah, you are.” He scoffed at himself, staring at the ground. “It’s funny, ‘cause Plumeria was actually the first to mention it. When you were in the hospital and I was fuckin’ losin’ my mind, Plumes came and visited me. We chatted for a bit, n’ she said that you were my person.”

“She did?”

“Yeah. I thought she was jus’ givin’ me shit, but turns out she was right. She was the first person to help my dumbass figure out that I liked ya.”

“Wow,” Izzy said, flabbergasted. She knew that Plumeria wasn’t exactly her biggest fan, but… she helped Guzma realize his feelings for her, even though Plumeria herself had feelings for Guzma? Izzy suddenly felt bad for disliking the pink-haired woman; she was much more selfless than expected. “Guz…”

“I know, I know. I have to go talk to her.”

\---

After getting sent straight to voicemail for the fourth time, Guzma finally realized that Plumeria wasn’t going to answer his calls. He begrudgingly decided that he was going to have to catch a ride back to Po Town if he wanted any chance of chatting with her. He waited until the evening in order to get the best chance of slipping out of the apartment without being swarmed by ancy journalists, bid Izzy farewell, and promised to be back in the morning. Part of him desperately wanted to stay--not only because he would much rather spend the night with Izzy than alone in his own bed, but because he was worried about her and her nightmares. However, she insisted she would be fine for one night and that it was important for him to make amends with Plumeria. Knowing she was right, he booked a ride Charizard as soon as it was dark out.

The flight over took about thirty minutes, and Guzma’s stomach grew more queasy with every passing moment. While the flying itself didn’t exactly help matters, it seemed that the closer he got to Po Town, the less he actually wanted to set foot in it. Plumeria had said the kids had missed him, and he felt horribly guilty for not being present in so long. He had become so lost in the tournament--in Isabel Arnolds as well, if he were being completely honest--that he had completely cast aside his responsibilities. Plumeria already hated him for it; did the rest of the gang hate him too?

Before he even realized it, the Charizard had landed. As per usual, the pouring rain forced the dragon to drop him off on the outskirts of the town. Guzma couldn’t help but smile to himself; everytime he told himself he would remember to bring an umbrella the next time, yet he never did. Typical.

Walking through the rain never really bothered him. When he was younger, there were many nights when he had to sleep on the streets in the rain--it was either that or “appeasing” some old pervert into letting him stay at their place. After hearing horror stories from a few other street dwellers, he happily opted for the rain. In a way, the rain actually comforted him. Since it was practically always raining in Po Town, the rain always reminded him of his rundown home. Now that he was walking through its streets again, he realized just how much he missed it.

“Hey, Boss! Is that you?!” A voice called from above him. He looked up and was met with a young, red-headed girl who was hiding in one of the taller, abandoned buildings. Amber. She was only nine years old; her mother was an alcoholic who blamed her husband’s death on the poor girl. When she ran away Team Skull welcomed her with open arms.

“Yeah, it’s ya boy. But what the hell are ya doin’ up there? Ya know ya ain’t allowed in the abandoned buildings ‘til you’re twelve!” 

“I know, but the older kids didn’t wanna patrol tonight, so I came out here to do it instead!”

“Patrolling?” Team Skull didn’t set up a patrolling unit around the perimeter unless they were specifically on the lookout for something. “What the hell are ya patrolling for?”

“For you, boss! I’m s’posed to let everyone know when you get here-- _OH NO!_ I needa go tell them!” Without finishing her sentence, she darted away, most likely to notify the others that their boss had finally arrived. Guzma felt another pang of guilt; they had set up a patrol unit to spot _him?_

He continued down the wobbly brick path, feeling as though there was a boulder crushing his chest. He wasn’t sure what all the team was planning, but something told him that it wasn’t good. When he finally made it to the front door of the Shady House, he noticed that all the lights inside were off. He sighed to himself; it wasn’t the first time the electricity had gone out on ‘em.

Shaking out whatever nerves he possibly could, he took a deep breath and opened the door. The room was pitch black, and even more surprising, it was dead silent. The Shady House had been many things before, but silent had never been one of them.

Where the hell was everybody?

“SURPRISE!”

Without warning, Guzma was suddenly blinded by an outpouring of light. As his vision slowly adjusted, he could make out a few brightly colored objects. Balloons were floating in every nook and cranny, and tattered, falling-apart banners were strewn across the cracked walls. All around him were the Skull kids, each of them beaming as they posed, a few of them throwing some “jazz hands” into the scene for some extra surprise pizazz.

He looked up at the largest banner straight ahead of him. It read _You BLITZED the Blitz, Boss!_ He could have almost cried.

“I can’t believe ya hooligans did all this,” he laughed, eagerly accepting a towel that Abel ran over to him.

Amber ran out of the crowd and up to him, throwing her tiny body at him. “We had ta, Boss! You and that girl won the whole tournament!”

And in typical Skull fashion, everyone charged at Guzma, and the typical commotion of the Shady House returned. He was pelted with question after question and hug after hug. Two of the younger kids clung to his legs, while a few of the others pulled at his hoodie, desperate for some behind-the-scene insight on how the Blitz went. Guzma could feel a warmth spreading through his chest.

Even though he had been gone for so long, his kids didn’t hate him.

“Told ya they missed you.”

Guzma spun around and found Plumeria leaning against the wall. Her arms were crossed and her hair was down, hiding half of the smirk she was throwing his way.

“Plumes.” The name tumbled out of his mouth, but he couldn’t seem to get anything to follow. He could feel himself gaping at her like a Magikarp out of water. He had so much he wanted to say, but couldn’t muster the will to spit anything out.

“Hey, Guz. Glad you made it over.” She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, offering it a gentle squeeze. “Sorry I ignored your phone calls earlier. Was helping the kids get all this set up. I kinda figured Izzy would convince you to come on over.”

“Fuckin’ hell, Plumes. How do ya always manage to read me like a book?”

She flashed a genuine smile at him. “Just my super power. Now let’s go have some fun with kids, and then we can sort things out later. I know they’re all dying to hear about our newest champion.”

And so Guzma and Plumeria returned to their grunts. They spent most of the evening telling stories about the Blitz, sharing every detail they could muster. Guzma laughed at the way Plumeria recounted their semi-final battle (“And can you believe this son of a bitch used Salazzle as a _shield?_ She’ll probably kick that Golisopod’s ass the next time she sees him!”) and relished in the way the grunts were completely enamoured in their tales. He had missed his team dearly.

“But Boss! You forgot to tell us something!” Amber squeaked out, raising her hand.

“Oh? And what’s that, lil’ lady?”

“What about your new girlfriend?”

Guzma felt his entire face go red as _oh’s_ and _ah’s_ began circulating around the room. Some of the older teens in the group even started chanting _Boss got laid!_ while snickering to each other. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Yeah, yeah. Cut it out ya lil’ shits. Yes, Amber, I have a new girlfriend. Her name is Izzy. She’s the other champion.”

“Yo, Boss!” Genos, the oldest of the group, yelled from the back of the group. “Does she _know_ she’s your girlfriend?” The group laughed, and Guzma couldn’t help but smirk as well.

“You know damn well she knows that!”

“Then where’s she at, Boss?” Genos teased, sticking his tongue out.

“Hopefully she’ll come visit later. But only,” Guzma said, raising his voice in a fatherly manner, “and I mean ONLY if you get y’all’s chores done for once! And stop putting the youngsters on patrol duty!” A few groans rumbled through the group, but the kids all agreed to the terms.

“Now, now, let’s stop bothering the Boss about his new lady friend,” Plumeria began. “And besides, it’s time we start wrapping this thing up. Y’all go clean up after yourselves and head on to bed, ya hear?”

A few “yes ma’am”s echoed through the room as the grunts all began cleaning up. Guzma got up as well, directing his attention to Plumeria.

“So, uh… wanna go talk things over?”

She smiled at him. “For sure. Let’s head upstairs.”

\---

Guzma was more than surprised to see that for once his room was clean. There were no bottles scattered across the floor, his bed was neatly made, and any clothes he had left behind were folded and put away. He certainly didn’t recall cleaning up during his last visit, so it struck him as odd.

“A few of the younger ones came in and cleaned for you,” Plumeria said, reading his mind once more. “I know you usually don’t want people in your room, but… they really missed you. I figured it would be okay this time.”

“O-oh, yeah. Not a problem at all.” The pair sat on his bed, although Guzma noted that there was far more distance between them than usual. He felt his chest tighten; even though Plumeria was seemingly more cheerful, there was still an obvious tension in the air.

“Guz, I…” Plumeria began, but her voice trailed off. It seemed as though she was struggling with this whole thing as well.

“I’m sorry, Plumes.”

Without a word, she looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Sorry? Since when are you one to say sorry?”

Guzma laughed, scratching at the back of his hair. “Yeah, yeah. I know I ain’t all that good at this apology shit. But really, I am sorry. I… I know that I hurt you. A lot. And this whole thing with me and Izzy hasn’t been easy for ya either, I’m sure.”

“You’re right,” she responded flatly. “It fuckin’ sucked, to be honest.”

Guzma flinched. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s part of life. Life is just gonna be shit sometimes, ya know?”

“You’re telling me.”

Plumeria laughed; it was melodic and genuine, one that Guzma hadn’t heard from her in a long time. “But that’s the funny part. Life always ends up turning back around at some point. All of us here in Team Skull have hit rock bottom in one way or another, but we always seem to find one way or another to get back up.”

“Oh?” Guzma responded with a smirk. “And are you already on the rise again?”

To Guzma’s surprise, she blushed. “Let’s just say Molayne and I are still teaming up for a bit.”

“Teaming up for a… Wait, _what?!_ You and Molayne?! Are you serious?!”

Plumeria began laughing again, falling backwards onto the bed. “Trust me, I didn’t see it coming either!”

And the pair bantered with each other late into the night. Despite his initial surprise, Guzma was secretly relieved to hear that Plumeria and Molayne were becoming an item. While he wasn’t entirely sure how the hell their relationship worked with them being polar opposites, he was well aware that Molayne was a genuinely nice guy. And Plumeria seemed genuinely happy talking about him.

As the clock neared two in the morning, Guzma found himself growing tired. Plumeria was still in bed with him, and the pair were now laying side by side, both staring up at the ceiling contentedly. Yet with how sleepy he was, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander to Izzy. Was she sleeping okay? Were her nightmares bothering her again? Did she miss him as much as he missed her?

“You’re thinking about her, huh?”

Guzma sighed; of course she had caught him yet again. “Am I really that easy to read?”

“The easiest. You get this almost glossy look in your eyes and get really quiet.” She turned to him and offered him a smile. “I really, really am happy for you, Guz. You two seem like quite the couple.”

“Yeah, I think so, too.” He turned to Plumeria, matching her gaze. “Ya know, it would mean a lot to me if you two could be friends.”

She scoffed in his face. “Look Guz. You know I’d do anything for you. But you know Izzy and I just don’t mix.”

“Yeah, she pretty much said the same thing. But do you think you could at least try? I know she would be willing to.”

Plumeria groaned dramatically, rolling on the bed in dismay. “Ughhhhhh, fiiiiiiiiiine. Only because it’s for you. She already has a dress for the Blitz Gala, right?”

“The what now?”

Plumeria turned to him, her eyes wide and serious. “Guzma, don’t tell me you two haven’t gotten ready for the Blitz Gala yet.”

“Don’t know what it is.”

“It’s the gala that celebrates you and Izzy as the champions, dipshit! You two are the honored guest and it’s tomorrow night!”

“What.”

“Oh my fucking god. Okay, look. I’m sending Genos with you tomorrow to go get a nice suit, and Izzy and I will find a dress for her. I’ll even take her out to lunch so we can go do all that girly bullshit. Does _that_ work for you?”

“Sounds perfect. Thanks, Plumes.”

“Whatever, bug boy.”

After setting up their game plan for the next day, Plumeria bid Guzma goodnight and went to bed. Even though it was late and Guzma could feel his eyelids growing heavy, he couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement for the next day; it took every ounce of willpower to not fly back to Izzy right then and there.

And as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn’t wait to see her in a dress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there wasn't a ton of plot progress here, but I have been hitting my head into a wall trying to figure out how to (re)build Guzma and Plumeria's friendship. And this is where it got me. I think I'm okay with it--for now.


	21. Girl's Day Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM GOING TO FINISH THIS THING ONCE AND FOR ALL SO HELP ME ARCEUS
> 
> Extra chapters just keep popping up, and it's not like I can stop 'em. Outline? Never heard of her.

“I can’t _believe_ you set me up on a girl’s day out with Plumeria,” Izzy grumbled at Guzma. She pouted, sipping on her tea. “I could have gone out to buy my own dress, you know.”

The cafe they were at was bustling with people; it was their agreed upon meeting spot, and Izzy was almost certain Guzma picked it only for the deluxe tapu cocoa they served. However, there were no blinding flashes of neon pink hair that announced the arrival of their oncoming guest. She silently hoped it would remain that way.

Izzy had nearly suffered a heart attack when Guzma first told her about the plan. She was all for Guzma rekindling his friendship with Plumeria or whatever, but that didn’t mean _she_ had to get all goody-goody with the damn woman, too. The two of them were the furthest from friends they could possibly be. Not only did they already have a formidable rivalry from their numerous battles, but Izzy had technically swiped the guy that Plumeria was apparently head over heels for. Long story short, Izzy couldn’t help but think that their “girls day out” was destined to end in disaster.

Guzma sipped at the tapu cocoa in his hands. “Iz, c’mon. Plumeria is at least willing to try and be friends--or at least not completely hate you. Pretty sure you could do the same.” Izzy scoffed; it was much easier said than done.

“I told you that I would try, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”

Before Guzma could respond, Izzy spotted the dreaded flash of pink hair walking up to their table accompanied by an older teenager with bright orange hair. They both stood out from the solemn crowd at the cafe with their neon hair and worn-out Team Skull attire, earning a few scathing looks. 

“Plumes! Genos! ‘Bout time y’all showed up!” Guzma offered Plumeria a simple fist bump and quickly made his way to Genos, performing what Izzy could only assume was their super-secret-team-handshake, or something as equally ridiculous.

“Sorry we’re late. Mr. Bed Head over here slept through his alarm,” Plumeria huffed, casting a wicked side-eye at the teen next to her; he simply grunted in response, still obviously aggravated with what Izzy could only assume was a rude awakening. “I already filled Genos in on what he needs to get you, you just need to wait for me to let you know the colors you need to buy.” And as for you,” she turned her attention to Izzy, pointing a single, slender finger directly between Izzy’s eyes, “we are gonna make sure you look like the most beautiful little punk that has ever graced this side of the galaxy, or I’m not Team Skull’s top fashionista.”

Izzy nearly choked on her tea--although Plumeria’s words held some semblance of friendliness, the glare she threw at Izzy raised half a dozen warning flags. She knew she was walking on thin ice.

\---

After a brief farewell, the group split up, Guzma with Genos and Plumeria with Izzy. As soon as Izzy found herself alone with Plumeria, a knot formed in the pit of her stomach. She really, _really_ wasn’t ready for whatever the day had in store for her.

Plumeria directed the pair to Melemele’s shopping district. In Izzy’s opinion, it was one of the best shopping areas in all of Alola. Not only did it have the biggest mall, but it had a mind-boggling assortment of stores within it. Before she started traveling around with Hau, Izzy often found herself wandering through the mall admiring the latest fashion statements and ridiculous trinkets she wished she could buy. On top of that, there was a beautiful fountain that was centered inside the food court--she fondly remembered the coins she and Lillie tossed in when they had first met.

However, her usual joy of being at the mall was stifled by the insurmountable awkwardness in the air. Since their departure from the group, the two hadn’t said a word to each other. Instead, Izzy was constantly met with Plumeria’s unwavering scowl and a rigid demeanor that was far from amiable. Plumeria also opted to make sure she was at least three paces ahead of Izzy at all times, resulting in the poor girl having to constantly chase the gangster down. 

Without warning, Plumeria stopped squarely in front of a store, with Izzy nearly running into her from the abruptness of her change of pace. There was a large, frilly sign that read _The Velvet Vulpix_ in a lacy, cursive font. Countless dresses were on display at the front, each stunningly beautiful in their own way-- And also certainly out of Izzy’s price range. Izzy remembered passing by the store before, but had refused to ever enter after catching a glimpse of one of the receipts that a customer dropped. The knot in her stomach grew worse; Plumeria was about to bankrupt her.

“Don’t even think about the price tags, okay?” Plumeria said without even throwing a look at Izzy. Her signature scowl was still plastered to her face, but her tone was just a hint softer than usual. “I can get us a pretty sweet deal. I know these guys really well.”

“O-oh, okay--” she was interrupted by Plumeria snatching Izzy’s hand and dragging her inside. Izzy flinched at the contact, but was pleasantly surprised that Plumeria’s grip on her was one of gentle guidance.

The inside of the store was starkly different from the mall; the walls were a sleek velvet color embroidered with gold around the edges. Countless mannequins were scattered across the store, each donning a unique dress. A few were highlighted on decorated podiums, completed with a set of heels and accessories. Izzy released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding; she had never been in a store that was so… extravagant.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Plumeria stated matter-of-factly, still making a concentrated effort to avoid eye contact. “First, we need to find you a dress. And it can’t just be any dress, it has to be one you absolutely love. If you aren’t in love with it, we aren’t buying it, got it?” Izzy nodded. “Okay, next, we’ll find a set of heels that match it.”

“Heels? I don’t really wear heels,” Izzy mumbled, which earned scathing glare from Plumeria.

“You’re twenty-two years old. You’re wearing the tallest set of fucking high heels we can find.”

“O-okay.” Usually Izzy would spit back a witty remark, but she was so caught out of her element that she opted to keep as quiet as she could.

“So, Iz. What kind of dress style do you like?”

“Huh?”

“What. Kind. Of. Dress. Style.” Plumeria’s patience was obviously already wearing thin. Izzy swallowed; knew it was inevitable, but did Plumeria _really_ have to get short with her so soon?

“Uh, I don’t know? I don’t wear dresses, really.”

“When was the last time you wore one?”

“... Seven years ago at graduation.”

Plumeria’s jaw dropped, eyes wide in disbelief. Izzy felt her face burn; was it really that unusual that she didn’t dress up all that much? She had spent practically all her life in the battling scene, but she had never gotten quite far enough to be invited to any kind of banquet or honorary celebration. Plus with all her adventuring, she found dresses to be far too restrictive or burdensome in emergency situations. After all, who would want to try to outrun an angry Rhydon while constantly having to worry about accidentally flashing the whole world?

“Okay then,” Plumeria sighed, wrapping her head around the situation. “Well, here’s my recommendation. We want you to be in a shorter dress, probably one that comes above the knees.”

“Shorter? Why?”

“‘Cause you’re short as hell, that’s why.” Plumeria began walking towards the back of the store, Izzy in tow. “A long dress will make you look even shorter, and that’s the last thing you want. Also,” she turned to Izzy, tossing a quick glance below her waist. “You’ve got a nice pair of legs on ya. We would be stupid to not highlight ‘em.”

Izzy felt her face go even hotter. Yeah, she knew she was on the shorter side, but it was never fun to get reminded of that. However, she had to admit it was gratifying to hear that her legs were… nice? She shook her head; all this talk was so foreign to her. Her two best friends growing up were Red and Blue, so she had never really talked about anything like this with anyone other than her mom--and she sure as hell didn’t make such conversations with her mother easy.

“As for the top of the dress,” Plumeria continued without missing a beat, “we’ll probably want to get something that covers up your chest a bit more. Something tighter that highlights your figure, but kinda hides the fact that you’re, well, not exactly _endowed_ in the front.”

“Huh?”

“You ain’t got the tits to show off any cleavage, hon,” Plumeria deadpanned back. “But don’t worry. I don’t either, and I get along just fine.” Surprisingly, she offered Izzy and smirk with just a hint of kindness in her eyes. Izzy smiled back, letting her guard drop ever-so-slightly.

\---

Over two hours had passed, and Izzy thought she would run out of the damn store naked if she had to try on another dress. She had found plenty that she liked, sure, but she didn’t _love_ any the way Plumeria demanded. Every dress had some minor flaw; it had too many sequins, or the fabric was too itchy, or it was too long, or something just as equally stupid that prevented it from crossing the threshold of “liking” it to “loving” it.

Yet despite the time that passed, Plumeria was surprisingly patient with Izzy. Each time Izzy returned a dress she didn’t love, Plumeria took careful note of what Izzy disliked and returned with another set of dresses to try on. While Izzy was getting sick of looking at the damned things, she still appreciated all the help Plumeria was giving her.

“Here, try this one on. I think I may have finally found somethin’,” Plumeria said, handing Izzy a navy blue dress. It glistened in the light, as if a small star system had been tenderly etched into every fiber of it. Izzy felt her heart skip a beat.

She eagerly took it and retreated back into her fitting room. It slid over her legs perfectly; while the fit was skin tight, the fabric was comfy and stretchy, giving her the range of motion she desired. As she shimmied into the top half of it, she took note of how it hugged her chest, perfectly outlining her slender figure. She also couldn’t help but admit that Plumeria was right; the fit perfectly hid her “lack of tits,” as Plumes had so eloquently put it. However, Izzy was unable to find the zipper she needed to pull up to complete the look. She sighed; she had managed to get this far without asking for Plumeria’s help, but it seemed that she had finally reached the inevitable.

“Hey, Plumeria?”

“What’s up?”

“Could you, uh… help me zip up my dress?”

Without audibly answering her question, Plumeria opened the door to Izzy’s room. Izzy flinched--she hadn’t gotten a chance to cover up her exposed side, and the scar from the Croagunk attack was prominently on display. Plumeria froze when she saw it, and a small gasp escaping from her lips.

And for the first time that day, Plumeria looked Izzy dead in the eye. Her shoulders were noticeably stiff, eyebrows furrowed in deep concern. Izzy had never seen such a look on Plumeria before. They stared at each other for a moment, and Izzy felt as if Plumeria were probing her very being, searching for whatever emotional scar Izzy had that matched the one on her torso.

“Fuckin’ hell, Iz,” Plumeria whispered, inching closer to the scar for further inspection. “Is this from…”

“The attack? Yeah.”

Plumeria stared at the scar intently, her fingers drawing closer to it. She looked up at Izzy, silently asking for permission to touch it. Much to her own surprise, Izzy nodded, turning to give her a better angle. Plumeria ran her fingers lightly across it, quietly remarking at how rough and coarse the scar tissue was. The moment was surprisingly intimate; she could have sworn she felt a sudden unspoken understanding between them.

“I still can’t believe the damn thing didn’t kill you.”

“Honestly? I can’t either,” Izzy responded with a soft laugh. “Guess I’m just too stubborn.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re stubborn, then. We need more stubborn women in the world.”

After only a few more moments of inspection, Plumeria brought herself back to reality, shaking her head and offering a demure apology as she zipped up Izzy’s dress. Before Izzy could even see herself in the mirror, she saw Plumeria’s face light up as she looked at her in her completed look. Feeling a sudden rush of excitement in her chest, she turned to the mirror, and her breath caught when she saw herself. The dress was perfect in every way; she finally understood exactly what Plumeria was talking about.

“I _love_ it!”

\---

The day went fairly quickly after that. As Plumeria had mentioned, the hardest part was finding the dress--the rest was a breeze. Thankfully, Plumeria had compromised on getting Izzy a set of heels that was under five inches, and the pair had found all the jewelry she would need for the evening. It had been a very productive day, and Izzy was grateful for it.

To tie off the day, the pair went to the food court to grab lunch. Izzy opted for a plate of fried rice, while Plumeria stocked up on half-off pizza (“You know I can’t pass up on a deal like that!”). Food in hand and dress packed away, the ladies sat down for lunch by the fountain.

“So,” Plumeria said in between mouthfuls of pizza, “tell me. How are things going with you and Guzma?”

Izzy nearly choked on rice. Yeah, her and Plumeria were certainly on better terms now, but she wasn’t expected to talk about _that._

“U-um, things are going well? I guess?”

A single eyebrow quirked up. “You guess?”

“I dunno, Plumes--wait, I can call you Plumes now, right?” She nodded in approval. “Things between us are just so… new? I mean, we only actually got together like a week ago now.”

“Wait, what?” She put the pizza back on her plate, a small chuckle escaping from her lips. “You’ve only been together a _week?_ I figured since y’all were living together n’ shit that y’all had been going at it for at least a month, now.”

“N-no, things are still pretty new.” Izzy paused for a moment; was Guzma her boyfriend now? “To be honest, we haven’t even put a label on things. I don’t really know what we even are yet.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“No jokes over here. Why do you say that, though?”

Plumeria leaned back in her chair, her arms casually crossed over her chest. “It was obvious for so long that you two had feelings for each other. Are you really telling me that y’all were too stubborn to see that until a week ago?”

Izzy felt her face burn up. “It was really that obvious?”

“Hell, even the media picked up on it like crazy! You and Guzma became this goofy ‘star-crossed lovers’ story that practically every magazine in Alola wrote about.”

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

Izzy suddenly felt indescribably sick to her stomach; she pushed the plate of rice away from her. “But… we just barely got together! I mean we haven’t even--” She quickly stopped herself, her whole body on fire from embarrassment. No, she _refused_ to finish that statement.

Plumeria caught on to Izzy’s obvious discomfort, and a wicked grin plastered itself onto her face. “Haven’t even what, Iz?”

Izzy immediately took everything back; she _hated_ Plumeria.

“Nothing, it’s not--”

“C’mon, just tell me--”

“Really, I shouldn’t--”

“Dude, it’s not a big deal--”

“I dunno, it’s just--”

_“Spit it out already!”_

“Fine! We…” Wishing she could disappear from existence, she slumped into her chair. “... we haven’t had sex yet.”

Plumeria blinked. Then she blinked again.

 _“You two haven’t fucked?!”_ Plumeria yelled, hitting her hands on the table. A few people walking nearby turned and looked, giggling as they passed. Izzy slumped even further into her chair--this fucking sucked.

“Nope,” Izzy squeaked out, covering her face in her hands.

And Plumeria started laughing. It was a loud, boisterous, yet surprisingly melodic laugh. Yet despite its charming tone, it did absolutely nothing to help Izzy feel better--in fact, it made her feel ten times worse.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Plumeria finally winded down. “Wow, Iz. You must have Guz wrapped around your finger or something, ‘cause he sounds like a completely different man.”

“But here’s the thing! I’ve been--” She froze again. Did she really want to talk to Plumeria about what was going on between her and Guzma?

“Look, just spit it out, kid,” Plumeria said, reading Izzy’s mind. “I’d like to think we’re kinda friends now, and maybe I can offer some advice. I’ve known the guy for years now, after all.”

 _Damn. She has a point._ “O-okay. Well, the thing is that I’ve been wanting to, and it seems like he does as well. But as soon as we get close to crossing that line, he completely bails out. He mentioned something about not wanting to rush things, and I appreciate that but… I just don’t get it anymore.”

She took another bite of her pizza, her face contorted in deep thought. “Huh. Yeah, that doesn’t sound like him at all. He’s not exactly the most patient person in the world as I’m sure you’re aware.”

Izzy smiled. “Very well aware.”

After taking a moment to consider the scenario, Plumeria leaned forward, her hand resting against her chin. “To be honest, I think he’s just trying to make sure he doesn’t mess things up with you, ya know? I’ve never seen him care about someone the way he cares about you, Iz. And after everything that’s happened between you two, from the attack to everything that’s gone on with Team Rocket, he probably just wants to make sure to get things perfect. That would be my best guess.”

“Yeah, I kinda figured,” Izzy said with just a hint of a smile on her face. “He’s a lot sweeter than I had expected him to be.”

“That’s Guz, for ya.” Plumeria flashed a smile back at Izzy, taking another bite of pizza. “But to be blunt, I don’t think you’ll have to be worried about, well, _waiting_ anymore after tonight.”

“What do you mean?”

Plumeria smirked. “You’ll see.”

\---

As per Plumeria’s instructions, Guzma wasn’t allowed to see Izzy until the Gala. Instead, he was required to stay with Genos and keep tabs with Plumeria on the color palette he needed for his suit. When they finally got the word that his attire needed to be accented with navy blue, Genos huffed and dragged Guzma to the nearest suit store.

It didn’t take too long for the pair to get his suit together (Guzma wasn’t picky, and for some reason, suits just seemed to, well, suit him), so they spent a vast majority of the day lounging on the beach. Guzma appreciated the chance to catch back up with Genos; with him being the oldest, the two of them had a relationship on par with most siblings.

Genos was actually the first kid to “join” Team Skull. Back when Guzma was a teenager and still fending for himself on the streets, he ran into Genos in one some dank back alleys--or rather, Genos ran into him. In fact, the damn kid tried to run straight through Guzma in an attempt to swindle him of his hard-earned (read: stolen) malasada. Guzma knocked the kid clean on his feet, making him land with a painful _thud_ on the cracked asphalt. However, before he could give the kid a “proper lesson,” he noticed his thin, wiry frame and the way his skin revealed the curvature of his ribs. Uncharacteristically, Guzma decided to make a peace offering instead, handing half his malasada to the child--and the rest was history.

“Yo, boss, you thinkin’ ‘bout tonight or sum? You’ve been awfully quiet,” Genos said, absentmindedly running his fingers through the sand.

“Not quite. And you know ya don’t have to call me boss when it’s just the two of us.”

“Eh, jus’ a force of habit I guess. But whatcha thinkin’ about?”

“Just Team Skull, I guess. It’s crazy to see how far it’s come since we first met.” Guzma looked over at Genos, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Still can’t believe you tried to steal my malasada.”

“Yeah, yeah, I should have known better,” Genos laughs, brushing the sand off the palms of his hands. His tone was just a bit deeper than he remembered, but somehow still soft despite his rough upbringing. “Rule number one: don’t steal the boss’ food!”

Guzma laughed as well, basking in the sunlight. The sun was slowly sinking closer to the horizon as the evening fell upon them. He soaked up as much warmth as he could, feeling the subtle tingling on his skin from the heat bearing down on him.

“Ya know, I did my best to make sure y’all were all fed,” he said, the smile fading from his face ever so slightly. “I knew what it was like to be hungry. Nothin’ like tryin’ to sleep with hunger pains.” Guzma silently recalled the nights when he was alone, begging sleep to pull him from the stabbing pains in his stomach; if he were still enough, he could swear he could feel his stomach eating away at his own body.

“Well, ya did a damn good job, Guz. That’s why you’re the boss. Ain’t ever heard a kid complain about bein’ hungry under our roof.” 

“Heh, well I did my best. Just wish I coulda done more sooner,” he sighed, looking out at the expanse of water before him. “But I’m about to do a whole lot more.”

Genos turned to him, a single eyebrow raised. “More? Whaddaya mean?”

“Turns out this whole tournament thing’s got a pretty nice payout.” Guzma smirked, running a hand through his hair as if to reward himself. “Didn’t really think about it ‘till today. With my half, we could rebuild the Shady House. Make it, I dunno, less shady or sum.”

Genos turned away, his face skewed as he counted numbers on his fingers, trying to determine just how much money Guzma was talking about. “You really got enough to fix the house?”

“Yep.”

“No more leaks from the rain?”

“Right.”

“A heater for the winter?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Our own rooms?”

Guzma laughed, throwing his head back. “Maybe not a separate room for everyone, but more space. New beds, too.”

Genos’ face lit up. Before Guzma could get out another word, Genos lunged at Guzma, throwing his arms around him. Guzma froze, shocked by the contact. He awkwardly placed his hands on the boy’s back, not sure if he should embrace him or ask him what was wrong.

“You alright, Genos?”

He nodded into Guzma’s shoulder, refusing to release his grip on the man. Guzma noticed a slight dampness coming through his shirt… was Genos crying?

“Kid, talk to me. What’s wrong?”

He pulled back from Guzma, tears glistening along his cheeks accompanied by a bashful smile.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he said, voice noticeably quivering my tone upbeat. “I just ain’t ever had a new bed before.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :))


	22. The Gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can now say with confidence that the chapter after this one will be the last for this fic :) I've been dying to get to this point in the story for so long, and we finally made it! I hope y'all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

When the sun finally set, Genos dragged Guzma to the nearest Pokemon Center to get dressed for the evening (Plumeria had forbidden the pair from going back to the apartment--she would be using it to prepare Izzy for the evening). While Guzma felt a bit idiotic strutting about in a Pokemon Center in a tailored tuxedo, he couldn’t help but feel just a hint of smugness. His grey slacks and jacket fit snug in all the right places, and his navy blue bow tie and pocket square accented the look perfectly. He looked rather strapping, if he did say so himself.

The hotel that was hosting the gala looked stunning--a true feat of architectural genius--and was extravagantly decorated. The Blitz committee had gone all out; a series of spotlights released brilliant beams into the sky, and a red carpet had been delicately placed on the ground leading up to the entrance. Reporters already swarmed the area, their camera flashes giving the impression of a small, starry galaxy that had settled in the middle of Melemele Island.

Yet despite the awe-inducing sight, Guzma found himself growing impatient waiting for Izzy and Plumeria to arrive. Guzma had sent Genos off before arriving at the hotel to spare the poor guy from rogue reporters, but felt just a hint of regret when he was stuck outside alone. Thankfully, the paparazzi seemed to miraculously ignore him for the most part. They were more interested in reporting on the gala itself rather than the champion; only a few stopped him for a brief statement about the evening, to which Guzma surprisingly found himself happy to oblige.

“Waiting for your date, too, cousin?” Unfamiliar with the voice, Guzma turned to find its source. He was met with a tall, lanky figure clad in a black suit, his tie and glasses just a hint askew. The man smiled genuinely at him. “I hear they should be getting here soon.”

Sure, Guzma had heard plenty about Molayne--hell, he was Kukui’s best friend during their island challenge. The guy was a former trial captain, and a damn good one at that. His cheerful disposition allowed him and the Totem Pokemon to build one of the strongest relationships at a trial site that Alola had ever seen. Not only that, but he had also become the youngest head of the Hokulani Observatory, taking the position at the ripe age of twenty-two. However, Guzma hadn’t really met him in person before. He had seen him in group settings when they were younger, but suddenly realized he had never actually spoken to the man. Now that he was up close and personal with the guy, he noticed that despite Molayne being about Guzma’s age, he looked significantly older. His hair was already going a soft grey, and he had creases under his eyes. Guzma silently wondered if the pressure of running the observatory was getting to him.

“Ha, yeah. You know how it is,” Guzma awkwardly laughed, scratching at the back of his head. “So I heard you and Plumeria are…?”

Molayne let out a soft, airy laugh. “Yeah, we’re giving things a go. Honestly still can’t believe she even gave me the time of day. And you? I heard the two champions are staying paired up a bit longer.”

“Yeah, we are.”

Molayne laughed again. “It’s always interesting to see what kind of relationships form from the Blitz. New love, new friends, new rivalries, it’s all just so…” he paused, looking up into the sky as if hoping the word he was looking for would miraculously fall from it. “Fun.”

“Guess that’s one way to look at it.”

The pair continued chatting with each other, only occasionally blinded by a photographer snapping a quick shot of them together. Molayne and Guzma joked about the hundreds of different headlines and captions that would accompany their photo (“Do you think they’ll try to say we’re having a secret affair?” “With all the shit they’re puttin’ out there, I wouldn’t be surprised.”). Eventually, the two were interrupted by a car that pulled up just alongside where the red carpet began. Molayne perked up as the car approached, a crooked grin forming on his face.

“Well, it looks like our dates have arrived,” Molayne happily chimed, elbowing Guzma’s arm. “I’ll see you around tonight, cousin!”

Plumeria was the first to exit the car, and Guzma’s jaw dropped. Her dress was a hot pink, yet surprisingly elegant despite its neon coloring. It draped down to the floor, with a slit on the side revealing one of her legs. Her hair was done in a perfect bun, with two strands falling to frame her face. Molayne beamed at her, eagerly reaching out his hand to assist her down from the car. She willingly accepted with a smile on her face. Guzma scoffed; last time he tried to help her down from something, she teased him for “patronizing her” or some bullshit. But there was no denying that she looked happy.

As the happy couple sauntered down the red carpet, Guzma held his breath, waiting for Izzy to make her long-awaited appearance. Not quite sure why, he felt a sudden knot form in his stomach. He had to make a conscious effort to unclench his fists, which had balled up at some point. Although it couldn’t have been more than a few seconds, it felt like an eternity waiting for her.

And then Izzy stepped out of the car, and Guzma could have sworn the world stopped moving, if only for a beat. Her dress hugged at every curve of her body, revealing her figure. It stopped just past her mid-thigh, her tan skin contrasting irresistibly against the navy fabric. Her hair was pinned up into a bun with a few strands hanging, curled and flawless. Her back was to Guzma, but he could tell she was looking for him among the crowd.

And she turned towards him, her eyes looking around curiously until they spotted him, lighting up. A smile pulled at her lips as she offered a cautious wave.

His body moved without command, as if her soul had taken hold of his very being, luring him in towards her. A sudden yearning--a desperation--overcame him, one that would not be ignored. Despite the noise of the crowds, the snapping of the hundreds of cameras around them, and the buzz of the fans that had gathered around the area, he couldn’t hear anything over the pounding in his chest.

“Hey there, bug boy,” she said, giving him the up-and-down with a glint in her eye. “I’m gonna need you to wear a tux more often.”

The words glossed over Guzma, his brain refusing to comprehend anything other than the burning desire that had suddenly consumed him. Izzy’s smile faltered for only a moment when Guzma didn’t respond, but instead stared at her, obviously in conflict with himself.

“Guz?”

Before she could say another word, Guzma pulled her against him, locking his lips against hers. Izzy tensed up, eyes wide, until eagerly melting into it, threading her fingers into his hair. Guzma smiled into it, noting the flashes that suddenly surrounded them accompanied by a symphony of clicking cameras and ecstatic fans. He was lost in it all; it was utter perfection.

When Guzma finally pulled away to admire her, he chuckled at the sight; she was starry-eyed and breathless, the corner of her mouth getting pulled into a half smile. Her face was dusted in a soft blush--although to be quite frank, Guzma couldn’t tell whether that was his work or Izzy’s make-up skills. He chose the former.

“Wow.” The word escaped from her lips absentmindedly as she stared into Guzma’s eyes. For some reason, the single utterance pulled the pair back to reality, and he suddenly became acutely aware of how her body was pressed against his and how many sets of eyes were on them. He quickly released her, scratching at the back of his head as his face sizzled in embarrassment.

“Sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” he mumbled, intently staring at the floor.

“Well, it’s one way of letting all of Alola know we’re a thing now,” she teased, obviously still breathless.

She intertwined her fingers in his, and the pair walked down the red carpet.

\---

If Izzy was being honest, she was having the time of her life. The room that the Blitz committee had set up for the gala was exquisitely decorated from top to bottom, with illustrious flower arrangements set on every table and a platform stage for awards to be presented. The dinner provided was perhaps the best meal Izzy had ever eaten in her life--a clauncher cocktail as an appetizer, and a perfectly seasoned and seared Bouffalant steak (an expensive delicacy in most regions), accompanied by a hearty Unova-inspired salad and whipped potatoes. Izzy knew from that moment on that she would be a returning competitor in the Blitz.

Her and Guzma were sat at a table with Hau and Gladion, and Molayne and Plumeria. Izzy was grateful she didn’t have to sit with someone she hardly knew--or worse, the donors for the Hau-oli City Blitz. It was nice to have an evening to sit and catch back up with her friends. Hau and Gladion were dressed in stark contrast to each other. Gladion was in a perfectly tailored black tux (Izzy had expected no less), whereas Hau was in a floral print button up, his suit jacket already lost to the evening. Izzy couldn’t help but laugh at their reactions when she finally told them about her and Guzma dating. Hau’s jaw nearly hit the table, while Gladion’s expression was unwavering, with only the fleeting hint of a smirk on his face.

“Why, if it isn’t our champions!” The voice was unfamiliar to Izzy, but she noted its sickeningly sweet and ingenuine tone. Gladion grimaced and quickly excused himself from the table without a word.

“Yeah, that’s us,” Izzy responded as she turned to meet the voice. A woman stood before her, clad in a pristine white dress with a large, shimmering green jewel plastered onto her chest. Yet despite the exotic nature of her outfit, Izzy was mesmerized by just how long the woman’s hair was; it practically cocooned her entire body, making her appear larger than life itself.

“Such an honor to meet you two! My name is Lusamine, and I’m the president of the Aether Foundation.” She curtsied, her wrists flicking in the air behind her.

“Aether Foundation?”

Guzma whipped his head towards her, shocked. “Iz, don’t tell me you don’t know about the Aether Foundation! It’s, like, one of the crown jewels of Alola!”

Lusamine laughed heartily, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. “Oh, Guzma, you give us too much credit. We are simply an organization that works to protect Pokemon.” She turned her view back to Izzy, a smile on her face. “I just love Pokemon so much, and this is one of the ways I can best share my love with them!”

Izzy smiled back hesitantly; sure it seemed that Lusamine was a renowned philanthropist of sorts--especially if Guzma was even a fan of her work--but Izzy couldn’t help but shake the feeling that something was off with her. Reluctantly, she chalked it up to one too many drinks and pushed aside her concerns.

\---

The awards ceremony was a bit lackluster in Izzy’s opinion; most of the speakers droned on and on about the importance of carrying on tradition and bringing the battling community together and blah blah blah. While Izzy agreed with the sentiments, she would have much rather spent her time chatting with her friends. Both team 52 and team 10 received a payout and a trophy for finishing first and second place respectively, and were called to the stage to get their awards. Despite the fact that her and Guzma had won the whole thing, Hau was the most excited person on the stage, hefting his and Gladion’s trophy into the air much to Gladion’s chagrin.

After the awards ceremony, the gala quickly turned into more of a party. All the tables were moved to the side and the platform-stage transformed into a DJ’s table, with some guy named DJ Leo and his exuberant Dugtrio disc-jockeying for the evening. Izzy was silently grateful that Plumeria had mentioned wearing a short dress; it made dancing a hundred times easier than in a longer, more constricting one.

Guzma had dragged her out to the dance floor almost immediately and took advantage of every chance he could to get his hands on her hips--and if he was feeling especially confident, he’d take care to press his body up against hers, planting a kiss against her neck whenever he could. There was always a tingling, almost burning sensation left in the wake of where he made contact with her, and she revelled in it. If she were being honest, she was half tempted to drag him off to some hotel room and have her way with him--but she tried not to dwell on the idea too much for her own sake.

After dancing a good portion of the night away, Izzy parted from the dance floor for a break. Fruity drink in hand and a satisfying warmth in her chest, she made her way to one of the balconies overlooking the Hau-oli bay. The stars sparkled across the sky and reflected brilliantly against the ocean, accompanied by the subtle hum from the city night life. A cool, salty breeze met her as she stepped onto it, sending a chill across her skin. Despite the general heat from the island, the nights were known for being cool thanks to the sea. She took another gulp of her drink, hoping the subtle burn down her throat would help warm her up.

And then she felt a sudden sensation on her shoulders and arms; it was soft and warm, with a familiar smell. Turning, she saw Guzma placing his jacket on her shoulders, giving her a warm smile and he adjusted it to fit her properly. Now that he wasn’t wearing it, she saw the navy blue suspenders he had on that matched his undone bowtie--although it wasn’t a look she was expecting to see on the man, it was one that made her heart flip-flop in her chest. 

“You look beautiful, Iz,” Guzma said almost breathlessly, his voice huskier than expected. Her heart fluttered. “So fuckin’ beautiful.”

“You’re looking pretty handsome yourself, Guz.”

She turned and leaned up against his chest, looking up at him. He laughed, wrapping his arms around her and planting a kiss on her forehead. She hummed happily in response, truly content with life for once.

Until a sudden flickering light appeared just above them.

The pair pulled away from each other and walked to the balcony’s edge, approaching the strange apparition. The light was hovering only a few feet above them, just out of reach. Curious, Izzy, reached her hand towards it, ignoring Guzma’s warning. Before she could reach the light, a sudden shockwave burst from it with a loud, resounding _BOOM!_ Izzy and Guzma were knocked backwards, the glass surrounding them shattering from the impact. Screams filled the room behind them with many people ducking for cover.

Dazed and confused, Izzy looked up at where the light had been, but it was replaced by a large, swirling portal with powerful gusts of wind billowing from it. She held her hand to her eyes, desperate to block them from the wind and whatever debris it picked up.

“A wormhole?!” Guzma yelled against the gusts, doing his best to shield Izzy. “Are you fuckin’ kidding me?!”

The gusts suddenly picked up, resulting in more screams from the crowd. The winds were near unbearable now, tearing relentlessly at her and Guzma. Increasing in size, the wormhole loomed ominously over them.

And then a blood-curdling shriek rang out--the same as the one by her apartment about a month earlier. Izzy’s skin went cold; she was certain it was a sound no human was ever meant to hear. The sound was shrill and agonizing, one that made Izzy’s hair stand on end. She grabbed at Guzma, her fingers digging into his shoulder--he was wide-eyed and pale, his hands trembling.

Then suddenly, the winds stopped, and an eerie silence filled the air as the wormhole pulsed overhead. Izzy didn’t dare to breathe.

Before she could work up the courage to move, a large, disfigured body fell from the wormhole. Its long, wiry limbs flailed as it fell, sparks flying from its body. Izzy quickly picked herself up and ran over to the balcony’s edge, watching as the creature crash landed on the street below, a crater surrounding its body from the impact.

“What the hell was that thing?” Guzma whispered harshly, still sprawled across the ground.

“I don’t know,” Izzy replied, still looking over the edge, “but it’s moving!”

Guzma joined her on the edge of the balcony, looking over cautiously. Izzy was right; the creature was slowly moving until it stood upright. Despite being over ten stories up, they could make out the creature’s figure fairly well. It almost looked like a humanoid mass of black electrical wiring with a white spiked head and tail that resembled an electrical plug. There was no denying the creature was huge--it took up most of the road.

“It’s an Ultra Beast!” A voice behind them yelled. Izzy whipped around and was met by Looker, who was still in his traditional trench coat. “UB-03, Lightning!”

“An Ultra Beast? Fuckin’...” his voice trailed off as he ruffled his hand through his hair. His voice was strained.

“You’ve seen it before?” Izzy asked.

“Yes!” Looker ran up to the edge, looking over desperately. “If we don’t stop it now, it could knock out the entire power grid, or worse!”

Izzy felt her chest tighten; it was supposed to be a nice night. Her and Guzma were supposed to celebrate their victory, have one two many drinks, and simply enjoy each other for the evening. She knew there was a war coming, but she never expected it to be on their doorstep so soon. Yet how she felt about it didn’t matter. Their first battle was upon them, and Izzy steeled her resolution to fight to protect what she loved--who she loved.

“Can Pokemon battle them? Can they actually fight that thing off?” Izzy responded, already grabbing the Pokeballs out of her clutch.

“Yes, but--”

Without letting Looker finish, Izzy ran and jumped over the edge of the balcony, releasing Kommo-o at the same time. She could vaguely hear Guzma and Looker yelling at her as she descended, but paid no mind; she instead grabbed on to the dragons back and wedged her arms into its scales as best as she could. Masterfully, the dragon reached out and dug its claws into the side of the building, decelerating their fall enough to manage the impact of landing on the ground.

Izzy and Kommo-o were met with a strange electrical hum that was resonating within the beast and a crowd that had begun surrounding it. Now that she was close to it, she saw its true size; the creature was well over ten feet tall with no distinguishing facial features. If she had to guess, the beast looked like a child’s drawing from a nightmare had come to life. It remained strangely still, as if sizing up its new environment.

“Hey there, big guy,” Izzy stated, her voice trembling more than she would have liked. “Let’s keep this nice and easy, alright?”

The white spiked bulb on top of the creature--which Izzy assumed was its head--suddenly whipped towards her, and its long legs began slinking the creature in her direction. The crowd gasped, and Kommo-o took a defensive stance in front of its trainer, preparing for its next command. Izzy held her breath as the creature inspected her, one of its hands brushing up against her body. Its fingers were long and limber, each one dancing along her skin. She closed her eyes, hoping and praying to whatever god would listen that the creature would do her no harm. 

“Attack it, now!”

Suddenly, a blurred figure plummeted from the sky and hurled itself into the Ultra Beast. The creature screeched in pain as it was buried into the ground. The dragon grabbed Izzy and leapt away from the scene, protecting its trainer as best as it could. The crowd that had gathered quickly became hysterical, everyone screaming and desperately trying to get away from the action.

Reeling from the unexpected attack, Izzy’s head swiveled as she looked for the assailant. It turned out that the attacker in question was a Noctowl, and an enormous one at that. Satisfied with its work, it flew toward the coast line until landing beside a young woman wearing a long sleeve black shirt with a red R insignia across her chest. Izzy suddenly felt her throat close up.

Team Rocket had successfully summoned an Ultra Beast.

The ground began to rumble as the Ultra Beast slowly dug itself out of the ground. Its head twisted back and forth quickly, as if it were looking around to see what had attacked it. Its strange hands were hovering in front of it as it hunched over, backing itself against a wall. Although fearsome and formidable, the creature was terrified.

Another Rocket grunt appeared along the street, holding a pokeball in his hand. “Lycanroc, Stone edge!”

A Lycanroc darted out from behind the building and summoned a series of large stones from the ground which pinned the Ultra Beast against the wall. The creature cried out once again, now flailing desperately as it tried to escape.

“You’re hurting it! Stop!” Izzy yelled, running toward the action. “Kommo-o, get the Lycanroc out of the way!”

Unleashing a ferocious roar, Kommo-o lunged at the Pokemon and tackled it away from the Ultra Beast. The two began fighting, Kommo-o doing its best to stave off the Pokemon while Izzy desperately tried to appease the Ultra Beast.

“Please, it’s going to be okay! We won’t let them take you!”

The beast continued to flail, blinded by its fear. Izzy stepped back; she had no means of calming the beast now that it was so enraged. She desperately tried to run through any potential options she had for handling this catastrophe; she couldn’t capture the beast, but she didn’t want to hurt it any further when it seemed to have no intention of harming anyone. And the fact that Team Rocket members were involved only made the situation even more dangerous.

“Noctowl! Brave Bird!”

Huffing, the owl spread its wings and darted towards Izzy and the Ultra Beast as it became shrouded in a ballistic aura. Izzy’s body froze up; she had time to move, but her legs refused to, tensed up in fear. The Beast behind her wreathed against its stony constraints, unaware of the imminent attack.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the hit to come. But it never came.

A frightening roar echoed through the street, one that she recognized, but not from her Kommo-o. Opening her eyes, she saw a large, orange dragon in front of her, its wings outstretched and its tail flaming. The Noctowl was splayed on the ground in front of it, its feathers singed.

Izzy would have recognized that Charizard from anywhere. But it couldn’t possibly be the one she thought it was.

Suddenly, a large Pidgeot landed beside the Charizard, bristling its feathers as if daring the Rocket grunts to continue their siege. It was an unlikely duo, but the pair was formidable; Izzy herself would never dare to cross them. Begrudgingly, the Rockets retreated, calling back their Pokemon and escaping into the night.

“Damn, Iz. Two years later and I’m still having to save your ass?”

Izzy whipped around in disbelief. That voice was far too familiar. Sure enough, she was met with a ruffled head of brown hair and a signature smug grin she knew all too well. It was really him.

“Blue?”

“Who else would it be?”

Before she could stop herself, Izzy threw her arms around him, laughing and crying as she clung to him, her fingers digging into his back. He laughed as well, happily returning the hug as he spun her around.

“What the hell are you doing here? Is that Red’s Charizard?”

The pair’s reunion was interrupted by another shriek from the Ultra Beast, who had managed to break free from the Stone edge’s hold. Obviously enraged, the creature thrashed its arms, leaving breaks in building walls and toppling nearby streetlights. Izzy gasped; although terrifying, its power was a sight to behold.

“I’ll fill you in later. Let’s take care of this first, yeah?”

“Izzy! Are you okay?!” Guzma suddenly appeared behind her, slightly out of breath from what Izzy could only assume was a mad dash from the hotel. Immediately upon arrival, he grabbed Izzy by the shoulders, quickly inspecting her up and down before pulling her against him. “You can’t fucking go jumping off buildings like that, Iz!”

“Can we debate this later, Guz? We’ve got a crisis--”

Without warning, the Ultra Beast unleashed a powerful bolt of lighting towards the trio. It barely missed them, hitting the ground only a few feet in front of them. Guzma yelped, pulling Izzy behind him. The creature continued thrashing about, flashes of lighting escaping from its body and flying in every direction.

“That thing is pissed!” Blue yelled, making a run for cover. Izzy and Guzma followed quickly behind, taking shelter behind a pile of rubble that had formed.

“I don’t think it wants to hurt anyone, it was just scared!” Izzy pleaded. “We shouldn’t hurt it anymore!”

“If we can’t fight it, then what the hell are we supposed to do?!” Guzma quipped back, glancing around the rubble for any sign of a stray lighting bolt.

“Oh, no,” Blue whispered, his eyes wide in fear. He was looking over where the Ultra Beast was. “Get away from that thing, you idiot!”

Izzy followed his gaze until her eyes landed on a man in a black tux. His back was to her, but she could make out his broad shoulders and partially slicked-back hair. A Pikachu was perched on his shoulder, its cheeks sparking intently. Izzy couldn’t tell who the man was, but she would recognize that Pikachu anywhere.

The man stood in front of the beast, unwavering. The beast continued swinging its arms around, only narrowly missing the man a few times. Yet with each swing, the man never moved--he didn’t even flinch. Realizing that its tactics weren’t working, the creature stopped thrashing about and instead looked curiously at the man who had the courage to stand before him.

Slowly but assuredly, the man took a few paces towards the creature, reaching his hand out towards it. The creature slinked back in response, but didn’t attempt to run off. Izzy held her breath; it was an incredible sight to see, this man with seemingly no fear reaching out to a powerful, unknown beast and meeting no resistance.

There was only one person Izzy knew who would be capable of such a feat.

The man placed a hand on the creature’s head, and his Pikachu quickly followed, placing a small paw just above his trainer’s. The creature hummed, nuzzling its head against the two points of contact. The three beings remained like that for a moment, until the creature stood upright, looking down at the man. They had reached some sort of understanding.

With an approving nod from the man, the creature leapt into the sky, disappearing from sight.

Izzy released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and removed her hand from Guzma’s shoulder, which had managed to form a death grip on him. He released a shaky breath as well, closing his eyes in a silent prayer of gratitude he would never admit to.

“That kid’s gonna give me a fucking heart attack one of the days, I swear,” Blue sighed, his body slumping to the ground in relief. “Mr. All-Justice-and-No-Fear. I can’t catch a break.”

The man finally turned back towards Izzy and her companions. She still only half recognized him; his jawline had grown more defined, and his hair had grown out a bit--although, in the past she had only seen him in his signature trainer’s cap. But his eyes hadn’t changed one bit. They told an endless story, one that Izzy was all too familiar with.

Before she could stop herself, Izzy ran towards the man. He looked on at her, his expression set. Izzy wanted more than anything to throw her arms around the man, to cry because he was there, _alive,_ to yell at him for being so reckless, to hold him close and never let go. But when her feet stopped her in front of him, she froze. She so, so desperately wanted it to be him, but feared he would only be a shell of the man she once knew.

“Red? Is that you?”

He stared at her for a moment, gazing at her in what she could only assume was confusion.

He nodded.

The remained still for another moment; Izzy took a deep breath before asking her next question.

“Do you remember me?”

His gaze moved to match hers. Her breath caught in her chest; when she had last looked him in the eye two years ago, they were empty. But now, they shined with recollection and fondness. A half smile pulled at his lips.

He nodded once more.

Taking another step forward, Red wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him. She eagerly returned his embrace, her body wracked with sobs and she buried her head in his shoulder.

“I missed you.”


	23. I'm Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter :) plz don't hate me :))

“So you’re telling me that you just let UB-03 go?” Looker asked, his grip tightening on the notepad in his hand.

Looker had taken the group that had directly encountered the ultra beast--Izzy, Guzma, Red, and Blue--to a hotel room where he held them for questioning. While Guzma wasn’t the happiest about the situation, he couldn’t exactly complain; after all, he was stuck in a room with the two most famous Kanto champions in the world. Plus, he was dying to find out more about the two year gap that led them to Alola.

It turned out that Red and Blue had been planning on surprising Izzy at the Gala, hence the fancy tuxedos they had on. Guzma even had to admit that they looked particularly dashing--it was unusual to see them out of their battle attire. However, Blue mentioned that they weren’t only there to see Izzy, but he got cut short on catching up when Looker dragged them off to questioning.

Red responded to Looker with a curt nod, his expression unwavering. He then moved his hands in a variety of ways, forming a few gestures that made absolutely no sense to Guzma. Blue, on the other hand, looked intently at Red as he signed, nodding in understanding until Red finished.

“He said the beast was scared and just wanted to go home. Red told the beast that it could hide safely in the forest here until another wormhole opens up for it,” Blue stated casually. Red caught Blue’s attention and made a few more gestures. “Oh, and Red said its name is… Xurkitree?” Red nodded. “Yeah, Xurkitree.”

Looker grimaced, his grip unintentionally ripping the paper on his notepad. “That _beast_ could have destroyed this whole city! And you just let it go frolicking in the forest?!”

Red’s eyebrows furrowed, and he began signing again. Blue acted as his voice once more. “He said the beast--” Red quickly elbowed him--“sorry, _Xurkitree_ said it didn’t want to hurt anybody. It just wants to go home.”

“I knew it was a bad idea to get the champions involved in this.” Looker pinched the bridge of his nose, his forehead wrinkled in annoyance. “Both of you are too young to understand. Ten years ago, those beasts nearly destroyed all of Alola.” His face darkened, and he spoke through gritted teeth. “They killed some of my best men. And they killed Nanu’s fiance.”

The room was suddenly silent; only the sound of a ticking clock dutifully marking the passing of time could faintly be heard. Guzma felt his stomach turn at the thought of Nanu losing the woman he loved to a war that was kept hidden from the public--maybe that’s what had driven him to such an aloof, jaded state of being. A sense of dread loomed over him when he considered the possibility of losing Izzy to an Ultra Beast.

Red’s eyebrows furrowed again, deep in thought, until he made a few quick but decisive gestures. “He said you don’t have to worry about Xurkitree. We will personally see to it that it’s not a threat to the island,” Blue translated.

“I would accept nothing less,” Looker huffed in return. “Now, I must be going--I have to address the news outlets and let them know that the damned creature is still at large.” Without another word, he turned on his heel and exited the room, slamming the door behind him.

“Wow. I knew the guy had a stick up his ass, but man,” Blue sighed, flopping backwards onto the bed he was sitting on. “It’s gotten even worse since we last saw him. And besides, he was the one who called us about this whole Team-Rocket-in-Alola thing!”

“So that’s why you’re here?” Izzy asked, leaning back in her chair. Guzma mirrored her, slumping into his own seat.

“Yeah, that’s a big part of it. But to be honest, Red over here has been dying to see you again ever since he got his memory back. Isn’t that right, bud?” Blue threw a smirk at Red, whose face went pink as he turned away. “They streamed the entire Blitz tournament back in Kanto, and you can’t imagine our surprise when we saw you on it! I figured that giving you a back-to-normal Red would be a pretty kickass gift for winning the whole thing.”

“Probably the best gift I could have ever asked for,” Izzy responded, her voice teasing but underlined with an unquestionable sincerity. “But Red, is your voice gone? What happened?”

Red looked up at her and began signing slowly, as if he was unsure of how exactly to put everything. “He’s not entirely sure why, but he can’t speak anymore. He suffered a bit of brain damage, but doctors couldn’t directly relate it to his inability to talk.” Red paused for a moment before perking up and signing much quicker. “But he can talk to Pokemon now. That’s why he was able to understand Xurkitree.”

Guzma scoffed; of course Kanto’s most powerful trainer had managed to pick up the ability to speak to Pokemon. At this point, nothing could surprise the gangster anymore.

“But enough about us! You haven’t introduced us to your new friend yet!” Blue wiggled his eyebrows at Izzy, who rolled her eyes in response.

“Well I’m sorry that we were busy saving Melemele! This is, uh…” Her voice trailed off as she looked at Guzma, confusion written across her face. Guzma felt his heart stop for a moment; they hadn’t defined their relationship yet.

_Please say I’m your boyfriend. Please. Fuck. Say it._

“This is Guzma. He’s the leader of Team Skull… And he also happens to be my boyfriend.” She placed her hand on his and squeezed it reassuringly. Although he knew he looked like an idiot, he couldn’t help the stupid grin that came across his face.

“Team Skull leader _and_ Izzy’s boyfriend? Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for ya, Guzma.”

“Oh, shut it!” Izzy threw a pillow at Blue, laughing. “First time you’ve seen me in two years and you can’t even try to be nice for five minutes?”

Blue quickly threw the pillow back at her, pegging her squarely in the face. “This is me being nice to you, Iz!”

Guzma chuckled at the scene unfolding, but noticed that Red’s expression remained stoic. He didn’t even look at Izzy, or anything in particular for that matter. His eyes were distant; he was obviously lost in thought.

“We have so much to catch up on! I want to hear about everything,” Izzy said in between bouts of laughter. 

Blue was quick to agree, his signature grin shining bright. However, before he could respond, Red tapped him on the shoulder. When everyone’s attention turned to him, Red faltered for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty passing on his face before he tentatively signed a quick phrase. Blue’s grin dropped immediately. He swallowed before speaking.

“Red wants to know why you left.”

Guzma’s heart sank at Izzy’s response; the joyous energy that she had been radiating was abruptly crushed. She turned away in what Guzma could only describe as shame. He hadn’t expected Red or Blue to bring it up so soon, but there was no denying that Izzy’s sudden disappearance was the Trevenant in the room.

“I…” Her voice faltered, and her fingers began fidgeting along the hem of her dress. While Guzma found the action endearing (and oddly attractive), he could sense the dread that had overcome her.

Blue scratched awkwardly at the back of his head. “Iz, you don’t have to talk about it--”

Red quickly interrupted Blue, aggressively signing a single gesture--Guzma didn’t need a translator to know that it meant _now._

“No, Red’s right. You both deserve an answer.” Izzy took a shaky breath before closing her eyes, willing the words out of her. “What happened at Silph Co. messed with me. Like, really, _really_ bad. And I know it messed with y’all, too. I… I just needed to get away.”

Red clasped his hands together, deep in thought once again. Guzma noted the hand Blue placed on Red’s thigh--something Izzy had often done with him when he desperately needed comforting. Red let out another sigh before signing again.

Blue quickly shook his head. “Red, you know that’s not--” Red interrupted him again, obviously demanding Blue to translate to Izzy. Reluctantly, Blue complied. “He wants to know… were you trying to get away from us?”

“W-what?” The word escaped from her mouth out of sheer shock. Izzy’s entire body tensed up, her eyes wide and filled with a deep pain; Red’s question had cut her deep. She began sputtering for a response, but nothing came.

Red’s gaze bore into her, but Guzma noted there was no malicious intent behind it, but rather a genuine curiosity--one that demanded satiation. Guzma quickly got the sense that Red was trying to make up for lost time. Blue, on the other hand, seemed to be in physical pain. It was a look Guzma had never associated with the champion; every poster or magazine cover he had seen with Blue on it had him grinning confidently, toeing the line of being overly arrogant, but now he looked unsure of himself. Although Red had asked the question first, it was clear that Blue was dying for an answer as well.

Yet no answer came. Izzy had completely frozen up, caught in a war with herself. Her eyes were wide, and her hands no longer simply fumbled with the hem of her dress, but now grasped at it in anguish, her knuckles turning white. Both her and Guzma knew the answer to Red’s question, but it seemed that the sheer shock of being asked such a thing had paralyzed her. And each passing moment made the divide between her and the two Kanto champions even deeper.

“She never wanted to get away from y’all,” Guzma finally said, earning a surprised look from Red and Blue. He swallowed, knowing it wasn’t his place to say anything--but he couldn’t just leave Izzy lost in her grief. “She missed y’all so much. Told me all about you two and y’all’s crazy adventures all the time. And it fuckin’ killed her when Red lost his memory. I think it’s safe to say there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by she hasn’t thought about y’all.”

Izzy looked over at Guzma, her eyes welled up with tears. She nodded her head in agreeance with Guzma’s statements, and mouthed a soft “thank you” to him as she recollected herself.

“Guz is right,” she said, her voice wavering. “I never, _ever_ would try to get away from you two. You both are my best friends.” Tears were streaming down her face at this point, and she desperately tried to wipe them away. “I just… we nearly died that day, and when Red didn’t remember us, I think that was the thing that tipped me over the edge. I felt like it was my fault, and I… I just couldn’t handle it.” She looked up at Red and Blue, who were staring at her in earnest. “But I am so, _so_ sorry for what I did. It was childish and cowardly, and I didn’t even stop to think about how it would make you two feel.”

There was a long pause until Red slowly signed a few succinct phrases. Blue smiled. “You’re not childish and you’re not a coward. We are just happy to see you again.”

Without warning, Izzy burst into tears and leapt forward, tackling the two men with a hug. Blue laughed softly while Guzma noted the half smile that had formed on Red’s face as they both eagerly returned her embrace.

\---

Guzma happily offered to leave Izzy alone with Red and Blue so she could catch up with them while he went to grab them a meal to take back to her apartment. She graciously accepted, offering a thank-you kiss before he left, which earned plenty of pestering from Blue.

While he still felt a bit ridiculous walking around in his Gala attire, he was enjoying the hilarity of seeming how many double-takes he got as he walked to the nearest burger bar. It wasn’t everyday that people got to see the leader of Team Skull galavanting about in such dapper attire.

However, his uncharacteristic appearance didn’t compare to the destruction caused by the Ultra Beast they saw. Guzma’s route took him directly past it; the street was in absolute shambles, with all the nearby light posts knocked over. The side wall of the hotel building that hosted the Gala had large cracks and crevices in it, along with a few notable marks where Izzy’s Kommo-o had dug its claws into it. Construction works and first responders were still at the scene, meticulously photographing everything and taking notes.

Yet there was one figure among the crowd of helpers that stood out--one that was cocooned in her long, perfectly maintained blond hair.

“Lusamine?”

She whipped around, her mouth forming a surprised “o” shape which quickly turned into a beaming grin. Handing off the paperwork in her hands to her nearby assistant--a tall man in strange neon-green spectacles and a white lab coat--she walked over to him, arms outstretched.

“Guzma! Just the man I was hoping to see.”

“Wait, you wanted to see me?”

“Of course!” She threw her hands up exuberantly. “Who wouldn’t want to talk with the latest Blitz champion. Now walk with me, I have something _very_ important to discuss with you.” Without warning, she intertwined her arm with his and leaned against him, walking him around the premises. It was far more contact than he would have expected from someone he hardly knew, but he pushed aside any red flags that had been raised; he couldn’t deny that he was appreciative of her… adoration.

“So, uh… what exactly did you want to talk to me about?”

Before responding, she stopped him and motioned her free arm to the scene before them, her other still clinging to his. “Look at all this destruction, Guzma. I can’t even begin to fathom the kind of power a creature would have to have to cause such a scene within such a short amount of time. Can you?”

“N-no, not really.”

In dramatic fashion, she placed the back of her hand on her forehead, appearing as a true damsel in distress. “And to think the poor thing is all alone now! Just wandering somewhere in Alola by itself.” At this point, she stood directly in front of Guzma and walked two fingers up his chest until her hand rested against his cheek. Despite her cold appearance, her skin was warm. “It needs my love, don’t you think?”

He suddenly realized how badly he craved being touched in such a gentle manner.

_Whoa, Guz. What the fuck are you doing._

Shaking his head, he took a step back. “Look, Madam Prez, I gotta--”

“You know what that’s like don’t you? Being alone?”

He flinched at that; what the hell did this woman know about him?

She took a step forward and placed her hand on his chest once more. “My dear Guzma. You poor thing. Tell me, why did you fight in the Blitz?”

He didn’t know how, but she had ensnared him; perhaps it was the fact that she was a philanthropist, or perhaps it was the fact that she seemed vested in him for some reason. Whatever it was, he was suddenly drawn to her, and every moment more he spent with her was pulling him in further.

“I-I… I wanted to prove that I’m strong.” The words came out before he could stop them. _What the hell are you doing?_ A small voice chimed at the back of his mind. _You don’t even know this woman._

“Oh, Guzma,” she said softly, her face so close to his he could feel his name ghost over his lips. “I think I can help you with that.”

She quickly pulled away and walked a few paces ahead, her back to him. Released from her spell, he ruffled his hair, silently chewing himself out for getting so caught up in the moment with her. But despite his disdain with himself, she had peaked his interest.

“How?”

She turned to him, smiling coyly. “I have a proposition to make.”

\---

“Wait, so you’re telling me…”

“Yup.”

Izzy paused, opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it. Suddenly, she was beaming ear to ear. “How long?”

“Almost a year now!” Blue replied happily, holding Red’s hand in his. “He kinda accidentally admitted that he loved me when his memories first started coming back. Pretty romantic stuff, can’t lie.”

To say Izzy’s brain short-circuited was the understatement of the year. The two guys she had kinda-but-not-really dated had somehow ended up together. She would have been less surprised if Giovanni had suddenly entered the room and swore his life to promoting good will for the world.

Nervously, Red signed a quick phrase, which earned a hearty laugh from Blue. “No, Red. I don’t think she’s upset about it.”

“Upset? The last thing I would be is upset!” She laughed as well, still absorbing the situation. “I guess it was just a bit unexpected from my end.” Yet after thinking about it a bit more, she realized their relationship wasn’t such a surprise after all. They had been friends and rivals for years, and Izzy always got an inkling that they were jealous whenever word got out that Izzy had done something with either one of them--she still couldn’t believe the look on Blue’s face when he caught her and Red making out behind the Cerulean Gym. She laughed to herself--guess they were jealous over each other and not her. “I’m really, really happy for you two.”

The trio was interrupted by three successive knocks on the door followed by Guzma entering the room with two bags stuffed with food.

“Guzma! They’re _boyfriends!”_

 _“Izzy!”_ Blue hissed, face-palming.

“Oh, nice,” Guzma responded, hardly bothering to look over at them. Izzy frowned; he was obviously distraught about something.

“You okay?”

“O-oh, yeah. Just a bit tired, I guess.”

Izzy quirked up a single eyebrow, but decided not to push the matter any further until they left. She played along, looking at the clock resting on the nightstand. “Well, can’t blame you. It is already past midnight.”

After saying their farewells and promising to meet up again soon, Izzy and Guzma left the hotel, each now carrying a single bag of food. The walk back to her apartment was a surprisingly quiet one; every question Izzy asked was met with a single-word response--or a simple huff when it would suffice. Izzy could feel her stomach knot up at the idea of him shutting her out again.

Upon arrival, Guzma half-heartedly poked at his food, his eyebrows furrowed together in deep thought. Izzy tried her best to munch on one of her fries, but found her appetite had been lost. Despite the events of the night, she had silently been hoping to finally get intimate with Guzma--after all, Plumeria had insisted Guzma would be unable to hold back anymore with the dress she had gotten. While that had initially been the case, it seemed that even the thought of taking that next step was at the back of his mind.

“Guz, talk to me. Obviously something is wrong.”

He looked up at her, almost surprised to be suddenly dragged from his thoughts. “It’s nothin’, don’t worry about it.”

“You’ve hardly touched your food.”

“Like you have?”

 _Damn him._ “Well it’s because I’m worried about you!”

With a soft, airy laugh, he stood up and made his way to her side of the table, leaning up against the back of her chair and wrapping his arms over her chest. “You ain’t gotta worry about me.”

She leaned against him, running her fingers along his forearm. “Can’t help it, bug boy. That’s kinda my thing. Now,” she stood up and guided him over to the couch, pulling him down beside her, “talk to me.”

He shook his head, and Izzy caught a small hint of a grimace. “I ran into Lusamine on the way to grab our food.”

Izzy’s interest spiked--and possibly her jealousy levels, if she were being entirely honest. “Oh? And what did she have to say?”

“She wants Team Skull to help her with a project.”

“Huh,” Izzy stated flatly. While the idea of Team Skull getting to work with the Aether Foundation sounded appealing to some degree, she still couldn’t shake off the strange feeling she got from Lusamine. “What kind of project?”

“She didn’t give me all the details, but she said she wants to help Xurkitree.” He scratched at the back of his head, his eyebrows furrowed again. “Said there would be more of ‘em. Ultra Beasts. She was sure of it. And she wants to help all of ‘em.”

“And _how_ exactly does she want to help them?”

“I… I don’t really know.”

“Interesting.”

Guzma paused for a moment, running a hand through his hair. Izzy did her best to keep from gawking at him; he had unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and his undone bowtie hung loosely around his neck. There was just a hint of dirt on his face from their run in with Xurkitree. It was the first real look Izzy had gotten of Guzma since the Ultra Beast ordeal, and it left her breathless.

“She said I would finally be seen as strong.”

Snapped back to reality, Izzy blinked, processing the statement. “What?”

“If I partnered up with here and we were successful, people would see that I’m not jus’ some washed-up guy leadin’ a gang of kids. They’d finally see that I’m… strong.”

Izzy suddenly felt a rage burning inside her; Lusamine had managed to manipulate him by preying on his insecurities, and he was in turmoil over it. Her fingers dug into the couch beneath her, and she worried for only half a moment that she would tear it.

Noticing Izzy’s obvious frustration, Guzma placed his hand on hers. “Look, Iz. I know how ya feel about this, and I can tell ya don’t like Lusamine. But…” he faltered for a second, as if he were carefully calculating his next words. “I want to be strong.”

“But you _are_ strong!” Izzy spat back, albeit more aggressively than she meant. She felt a pang of guilt when Guzma flinched, and took a deep breath before continuing. “Guzma, you need to realize that you are a strong person. You don’t need anyone to help you prove that to everyone else--you just have to realize it for yourself.”

He let out a shaky breath, his shoulders noticeably quivering. “Iz, I’m so tired of being seen as jus’ another fuck-up. I’m so fuckin’ tired of the way people look at me. And I’m tired of not being able to help the kids with Team Skull to have a better life than me.” His hands dug into his hair and pulled at it, although not with the angry fervor Izzy was used to, but with a solemn exhaustion that she hadn’t seen on Guzma before. “And none of it’s gonna change no matter how many tournaments I win. That _you_ win for me.”

He sat for a moment in silence, his head in his hands. Izzy held her breath, worried that if she released it she would shatter him in his fragile state. Carefully, she shifted over to him and straddled him, removing his hands from his hair and directing his gaze to her face. His eyes met hers with a strange desperation, as if he were begging to be valued, to be cherished.

“Listen to me, Guzma. And actually listen, okay?” Her voice was gentle but assertive; Guzma gave a small nod. “You are _not_ a fuck-up. You’re incredible in every single way. Despite the hardships you faced when you were younger, you still try to help kids so they can have a better childhood than you did. And you’re the most driven, relentless trainer I have ever met--and trust me, I know a lot of trainers.” Guzma let out a soft, airy laugh. “You don’t have to prove to a single god-damn person that you’re strong, Guzma. You just have to see it for yourself.”

Guzma’s breaths came in shaky puffs, his eyes still boring into Izzy’s. Without warning, he pulled her against his chest, his head buried into her shoulder. Izzy chuckled to herself; she found herself in this position with Guzma far more often than she expected.

“Fuck, I’m sorry,” he said, finally pulling away and rubbing at his eyes but taking care to keep her situated on his lap. “I dunno why I keep fuckin’ getting like this.” 

“Don’t ever apologize for that. We all have shit we’re going through. And besides, how many times have you slept with me ‘cause I had nightmares?” Izzy quipped back, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. He laughed.

“Okay, okay. You’ve got a point.”

“And look,” she said, caressing his face in her hand, “I was going to wait until later to tell you, but I’m too excited to wait anymore. I talked with Plumeria, and she said you were planning on putting your half of the winnings towards fixing up the Shady House. So…”

“What?”

“I wanted to throw my winnings in with yours! I heard that place could use a lot of work, so I figured why not just go all in on it?” She smiled, bouncing slightly out of sheer joy. Guzma’s jaw dropped which earned a boisterous laugh from Izzy.

“A-all of it?”

“All of it.”

He stared at her mouth gaping, and Izzy threw her head back in a bout of laughter. She had expected such a reaction, but to finally see it was beyond satisfying. It wasn’t too often she rendered the gangster completely speechless, so she revelled in the moments she did.

“I love you.”

Her laughter caught in her throat, and she turned back towards Guzma. His face had suddenly gone a soft pink, and he avoided looking directly in her eyes.

“W-what?”

He closed his eyes for a moment, as if considering whether or not he should take back what he just said. However, with a quick shake of his head, he took a deep breath and looked her squarely in the eye.

“I love you, Iz.”

Before she could stop herself, she planted her lips on his, threading her fingers into his hair. He quickly followed her lead, gripping into her hips while trailing a cautious tongue against her bottom lip. She hummed contentedly, happily allowing entry.

She was lost in him. Every touch was more intoxicating than the last, his fingers pressing into her skin hard enough to leave bruises the next morning--ones that she would wear proudly against her hips and waist. His lips moved away from hers and trailed along her neck, leaving small bites and nibbles along the way. She let out a soft, involuntary moan as she dug her fingers further into Guzma’s hair, which earned a low, satisfied hum from him.

And despite that it wasn’t the first time they had done this, it all felt so _new._ Each kiss and touch held a new meaning that Izzy was unfamiliar with, as if every point of contact with Guzma was another blissful proclamation, another unspoken “I love you.” The thought of it made her heart soar, and she eagerly returned every touch to reciprocate the message.

Breathlessly, Guzma guided her backwards until she was strewn across the couch, his body hovering over hers. She placed her hands on his shoulders, beckoning him to close the gap between them, and he eagerly obliged, careful to not crush her under his weight. She admired the level of tenderness he used with her--assertive, yet gentle and kind.

“I love you too, Guz.”

He smiled crookedly at her, placing a kiss on her forehead. “Then count me the luckiest man in the whole fuckin’ universe.” She giggled in response.

He dipped his head forward again, nibbling at her bottom lip; Izzy gasped, shifting underneath him. While moving, she noticed a bulge up against Guzma’s groin and knew all too well what that meant. Grinning mischievously at him, she hiked her hips up into him, resulting in a low, guttural moan escaping from his lips.

“Iz, wait--” He was quickly interrupted by her bucking her hips against him once again, this time better angling herself so that his member was pressed directly up against her sex. His voice wavered noticeably, and Izzy took great delight in the effect she was having on him.

“Litten got your tongue?”

Guzma laughed as he pulled back just enough to get away from Izzy’s treachery. She pouted in response.

“Oh shut it, ya lil shit,” he quipped back before planting another kiss on Izzy’s forehead. She had grown to love those the most. “Look, I just… I really don’t wanna mess things up with us, and I know at Kala’e Bay you were a bit, uh… put off.”

She huffed in a teasing annoyance. “Do I look ‘put off’ now?”

Guzma chortled, pressing his body against hers once more. “I guess not. But what I can say is,” he paused, leaning in closer to her ear, “you look so, so fuckin’ beautiful.”

She shivered, his breath ghosting along her neck. “Guzma, I’m going to be real honest with you right now. I love you and everything, but if you don’t fucking rail me into my bed tonight, I’m breaking up with you.”

He burst into laughter before swooping her up in his arms. She yelped in response, throwing her arms around his neck. “Oh, Iz. I guess you leave me no choice then.”

Guzma quickly--and effortlessly, Izzy would happily add--carried her to her room and tossed her on her bed, pausing only to completely unbutton his shirt and shimmie out of his suspenders. It took everything in Izzy’s power to no lick her lips as his shirt fell from his body; she was desperate to get him down to nothing.

Without hesitation, he crawled onto the bed and over Izzy’s body, propping himself on his elbows just above her chest. She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him against her, unabashedly locking her lips with his. One of his hands drifted to her thigh, hiking her dress up bit by bit. Her legs trembled at the way his fingers traced along her inner thigh until meeting her clothed sex. His name caught in her throat as he palmed at her, her torso arching into his chest.

“Fuck, Iz. Think I’m gettin’ a lil ahead of myself, darlin’.” His voice was low and husky, and it vibrated within her entire being. “Let’s get this off ya.”

Needing no further instruction, Izzy guided his hand to the zipper on the side of her dress. He undid it with ease, much to Izzy’s dismay as she fumbled helplessly with the button on his pants. _If this damn thing doesn’t come undone in the next three seconds I’m ripping it out with my fucking teeth._ Letting out a low chuckle, Guzma rescued Izzy from her toil, unbuttoning his pants and quickly returning to the task of getting her dress off her.

Clothing finally discarded and only undergarments remaining, the pair sized each other up. Yes, they had seen each other in such a state before, but never with such an intoxicating context. Unable to help herself, she pressed her hands up against his chest, simply relishing in the fact that he was there with her. He responded with a soft smile, his hand coming up against her cheek and caressing it.

“So fuckin’ gorgeous. Can’t believe you’re all mine, Iz.”

Taking advantage of her opportunity, she pushed at his shoulders and rolled him onto his back, straddling her legs over him. She leaned onto him, taking special care to press her breasts into his chest, and planted a trail of kisses along his jawline. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she rocked her hips up against his, earning a hitched breath from the man underneath her. She bucked into him once more, enraptured by the delicious sounds escaping from Guzma.

“Prove it. Make me yours.”

He paused for a moment, his mouth just slightly agape in awe of the words Izzy had just spoken. But before Izzy could remark on his dumbfounded state, a wicked grin crossed his lips as he gripped at her hips again.

“You’re gonna regret sayin’ that, darlin’.”

He hoisted himself up so that he was sitting upright with her straddling his lap and made quick work of undoing her bra--single handedly, she would add. With a dramatic flourish, he cast the garment across the room and eagerly took one of her nipples in his mouth. She let out a harsh gasp, digging her fingers into his hair once again. Whether it was from the simple fact that it had been a long, _long_ time since she had last been intimate with someone, or simply that her body was hypersensitive because it was keenly aware that Guzma was _finally_ fulfilling its longing desire, the sensation of his tongue swirling and flicking at her nipple was overwhelming. She wasn’t sure whether to pry him off of her or bury his face further into her chest.

“F-fuck, Guz--” Her voice caught in her throat as he switched to the other one, this time painstakingly teasing it with a few flicks of his tongue. She arched her back, desperate for him to satisfy her, but he refused, taking obvious pleasure in her yearning.

“Is there a problem, princess?” His voice was devoid of any actual concern, but instead taunted her. Her face flushed with a burning heat; she was so lost in the storm that she couldn’t even quip back at him for calling her that god-forsaken pet name.

“P-please, Guzma,” she pleaded, attempting to rock her hips up against him. He let out a low, gravely breath in what she could only assume was a laugh as his grip on her hips tightened, preventing her from moving up against him.

“Please what? I need you to say it, Izzy.”

_Damn you._

“P-please…” Her voice quivered and failed her as dragged his tongue along her collar bone until placing a decisive bite where her neck met her shoulder. She revelled in the sensation, hoping that he would leave a mark for the whole world to see that she would only partially regret the next morning.

“Say it.”

“I want _you,”_ Izzy pleaded softly. There was a strange openness that had overcome her, a new vulnerability she felt as her desires tore at the walls her ego had spent so long carefully crafting. Part of her was hoping to reassemble it as quickly as possible, while another part of her was curious to push up against the boundaries of her newfound freedom. “Please, Guzma… I want you to fuck me.”

A strange mix between a low hum and laughter fell from Guzma’s mouth as he relented, gently removing her from his lap. “Oh, don’t ya worry, darlin’. We’ll get there. But first,” he kneeled beside the bed and pulled her toward him so she sat on the edge just in front of him. With two fingers, he pulled her panties down until they pooled by her feet and allowed his boxers to join them. “I’m gonna make you feel good, Iz.” He spread her legs and placed a single kiss on the inside of her thigh; she shuttered. “And I’m not gonna stop ‘til you’re screamin’ my name.”

And there was a suddenly glint in his eyes that Izzy recognized when he was battling, especially when he was feeling particularly confident. A mixture of strange emotions tore at her, with the most distinct one being an exhilaration she had never felt before.

Unlike his usual act-first-think-later demeanor, Guzma gently placed his lips up against her, his tongue cautiously jutting out and pressing up against her clit. The warmth alone was enough to shatter any semblance of sanity Izzy had remaining; she gasped at the feeling, her eyes shooting open. He repeated the motion again, and then again, increasing his pace at an agonizingly slow rate. It took everything in Izzy’s power to not grab hold of Guzma’s face and grind into it herself, but she feared she would be unable to resist the urge much longer.

“Fuck, babydoll,” Guzma said, pulling away just enough for Izzy to see the coquettish grin on his face, along with hints of her juices along his lips. “You’re so fuckin’ wet. Could jus’ do this all night, have you beggin’ me to make you cum.”

An indignant whine fell from Izzy’s lips before she could stop it, earning another low chuckle from Guzma. She cursed herself once again for letting her composure turn to shambles, but not before all but begging Guzma to continue. Running his tongue across his lips, he eagerly obliged.

And he spared no expenses. With a renewed fervor, his lips encased her swollen clit, sucking lightly on it. A string of curses tumbled from Izzy’s mouth as she lost control of her body momentarily, her torso jerking forward as Guzma’s tongue traced circles against her clit. His pace picked up to match with the involuntary bucking of Izzy’s hips; she felt a sudden heat building in her core, one that caused her to completely throw any remaining fragments of her ego to the side.

Noticing her desperation, Guzma pulled away, only using a single finger to keep her on the edge. Izzy nearly cried; her inner walls were already convulsing uncontrollably, begging to be filled.

“Tell me what ya want, Iz.” His voice was low and demanding; he would accept nothing less than a direct request from her.

“Please, please, please,” she said, repeating the word over and over in between her breathless gasps. She was so, _so_ close that she couldn’t comprehend anything other than the fact that she _needed_ him to push her over the edge. “Please, Guzma! I-I’m so--”

As if Guzma could no longer hold himself back, he placed his mouth against her clit once more. Izzy released a shaky moan, entangling her fingers into Guzma’s hair and burying his face into her entrance as he lapped at her soaking cunt.

She saw stars.

Izzy held her breath and was overcome with a wave of pleasure that shook her to her very core. Eyes squinched shut and face contorted in ecstasy, she clung on the Guzma, her thighs trembling on either side of his head, repeating Guzma’s name over and over as if it were a broken prayer. Letting out a low, guttural groan that was lost between Izzy’s exasperated pants, Guzma continued to gently press his tongue up against her sensitive clit, earning aftershocks from Izzy’s broken body.

Standing up, Guzma wiped Izzy’s juices from his face, still throwing a devilish grin towards her. “Don’t think I’m done with you yet, darlin’,” he growled, laying her onto the bed and crawling over her, propping himself up on his elbows just above her. Still riding out the last of her orgasm, she weakly leaned forward to plant a kiss on his lips; she could still taste herself on him.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Leaving only long enough to put a condom on, Guzma returned and lined himself up against Izzy’s sex; she shuddered under him, still sensitive.

“Jus’ let me know if it’s too much, yeah?” Guzma stated, doing his best to hide the lust that dripped from his voice. Izzy smiled to herself; the softer side that Guzma had slowly revealed to her over time still made her heart flutter. She nodded in response.

Slowly, Guzma plunged into her, letting out a moan as he bottomed her out. Izzy matched him, digging her nails into his back as she felt him fill her. Although he met no resistance due to Izzy’s wetness, her walls were tight around his member, already drawing him dangerously close. 

“F-fuck, Iz,” he panted, trying desperately to stay motionless inside her to give her a moment to adjust. “So fuckin’ _good.”_

Regathering what little composure he could, he slowly pulled out of her and plunged back into her, a bit quicker. Izzy let out a gasp, her body twitching involuntarily as he fully immersed himself in her once more. He repeated this again and again, working into a rhythm--one that was unraveling Izzy into absolute madness.

If she were being honest, she felt a hint of pride in the way he was also losing control; his breaths were becoming more ragged and sporadic, and his rhythm quickly began to falter as a slew of swears started tumbling from his mouth. Izzy couldn’t make any sense of what he was saying--although she wasn’t sure if that was because he wasn’t forming coherent statements or if it was because she could hardly think straight herself with Guzma plowing into her.

Suddenly, Guzma picked up the pace even more--a feat Izzy didn’t think was imaginable. He buried his face into her shoulder, biting into it once more in an attempt to stifle the sounds coming from his mouth. This one she was certain would leave a mark.

“I-Iz, I’m aboutta--” 

His body seized up against hers, and he thrust into her once, and then once more, before collapsing on top of her, his cock still twitching inside of her. His body was damp with sweat against hers, and his chest gently quivered from his ragged breaths. It was obvious that the man had become completely undone, and by no means did he plan on trying to pull himself back together anytime soon. Izzy happily wrapped her arms around him and placed a few chaste kisses against the top of his head.

“You alright there, Guz?”

He lazily lifted his head just enough to make eye contact with her. “I’m great. Best I’ve ever been in my whole fuckin’ life. But, uh… sorry that was, er… so quick. Outta practice, I guess.” As soon as he finished speaking, his head flopped back down against her chest.

Izzy laughed, placing another kiss on his head. “Out of practice is the _last_ thing I would say about you. That was incredible.” 

With a new shit-eating grin on his face, Guzma slowly convinced himself to go get cleaned up, much to Izzy’s dismay. Even though he had literally just walked around the corner to the bathroom, she quickly grew to despise the emptiness of the bed with him gone. Thankfully, he returned quickly, laying his still naked body up against hers.

“I love you, Guzma.”

He hummed contentedly as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up against his chest.

“I love you, too.  
\---

Izzy had fallen asleep in his arms, and the smell of sex still lingered in the air. Small, gentle breaths escaped her mouth as she dreamed, her body occasionally twitching against his body. Despite all the events of the evening, Guzma felt a sense of satisfaction that he hadn’t felt… well, quite possibly ever. He had had his fair share of one-night stands, but this was unlike anything he had ever experienced. At no point in his life did he ever feel so genuinely cherished--so _loved._

And yet, now that she was asleep, her words no longer comforted him. Something pestered him in the back of his mind.

_“I have a proposition for you.”_

He silently wished he had never seen that damned woman. Lusamine had planted some kind of seed in his mind that he couldn’t get out, no matter how many times Izzy told him he was already enough as he was. Being with Izzy for the past few weeks--no, wait, was it over two months now?--had been incredible; not only had they fallen in love with each other, but she had somehow managed to make him feel just a bit better about himself. Yet Lusamine had managed to destroy any progress he made in a matter of minutes.

Just how long did Lusamine actually talk to him for? Was he really that weak?

“Guz?” Izzy looked up at him, still half asleep, her eyes struggling to open. “Is everything okay?”

She crawled herself up his chest just enough to place a groggy kiss on his lips before re-establishing her resting place against his shoulder. He laughed to himself; he was so damn lucky.

“I’m great, darlin’. Don’t ya worry.”

Satisfied with his answer, she quickly drifted back to sleep again, her steady breaths filling the room once more. He silently admired the way her naked body pressed up against his, aligning perfectly with him. Her heartbeat gently thrummed against his chest, and he spent what he could only assume were hours counting each beat.

But then his gaze fell upon the scar on her side. It had healed a bit more since the attack, but it still protruded from her skin with a sickly purple tint. A pang of guilt struck him; just how close had he been to losing her? He remembered Hau mentioning that Izzy was fighting not just for her own life, but for Guzma as well. Had she lived purely out her own sheer will?

If Guzma had been in the same situation, would he have had the strength to survive?

If he had been stronger, would he have been able to save Izzy from that Croagunk?

Would he be strong enough to save Izzy from the Ultra Beasts? From Team Rocket?

His heart sank. Before, he only wanted to be strong for himself and Team Skull. But now, he _had_ to be strong. For Izzy’s sake.

He knew what he had to do.

\---

Izzy awoke to a cold bed. Her hand searched for Guzma’s warmth, but he was nowhere to be found. Distraught, she quickly got up, pulled a blanket over her body, and walked into the living room area; on her way there, she took note that Guzma’s clothes were no longer scattered on the floor.

“Guzma?”

She was met with silence.

 _He’s never left without letting me know before. Did something happen?_ She pulled out her phone; the screen glowed blankly against the morning sun. No new notifications.

As she walked into the kitchen, she dialed his number and was immediately greeted by his answering machine. Her chest tightened; _what the hell happened to him? Should I call Looker?_

She took a quick look over her apartment; nothing seemed out of order; no signs of a struggle or any altercation whatsoever. But there was one strange thing.

The deadbolt on her door was left unlocked.

_Guzma doesn’t have a key. Did he really leave without telling me?_

Deciding to put a hold on calling Looker, Izzy wandered into the kitchen. The cool tiled floor against her bare feet made her shiver; she pulled her blanket closer. She reached into one of the cabinets to pull out a mug and placed it on the counter--and suddenly noticed the sheet of paper with a small statement written on it. The penmanship was rushed and sloppy.

_I’m taking Lusamine’s offer. I have to become stronger._

_I’m sorry._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the Blitz, folks! I hope y'all enjoyed it :) As I mentioned in one of the earlier notes, I'm planning on writing a sequel (The Ultra War? Still spitballing for a title). I already have a few major plot points set, but as far as an actual outline... there is no outline. Ironically, it was the major plot points that I have already that were the first ideas I had relating to this series; HCB literally was just the background to it, but ended up becoming a monster of a fic on its own! I'm hoping to get an outline for the next fic ready soon and to start writing by December, but we'll see how that goes. I know there are a few chapters in HCB that I wasn't very happy with, so I may spend a good chunk of time going back on those first. BUT there's also the jeanmarco lifeguarding fic that I've started brain storming for again and I might do that first?? idk man life is wild and who knows whats coming next lololol
> 
> Also if I'm being honest the reason it took me so damn long to write this chapter is because that was the first sex scene I've ever written and hoLY SHIT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING. Fat oof.
> 
> Until next time, friends :)


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